'Kake’ eulogised as true servant of hockey game

Legendary Kenya international and Olympian Parminder “Kake” Saini has been eulogised as the finest hockey player Kenya has ever produced.

The 66-year-old “Kake”, who passed away on Sunday at 10pm at a Kisumu hospital following a short illness, was cremated Monday at Kisumu Crematorium.

Kenya Hockey Union (KHU) Chairman Nahashon Randiek, who led the sporting fraternity in mourning, described “Kake” as a great servant of the game.

Coach Gursharan Singh Lall, who handled the national hockey team during the 1987 All African Games (renamed African Games) in Nairobi, said that “Kake” was one of his dependable players who fitted in any position comfortably.

Mentored great players

Former national team head coach Meshak Senge said “Kake” gave him his first taste of club hockey and mentored him to greatness at Kisumu Simba, before he joined Kenya Defence Forces hockey team.

“This is the time we really needed his expertise and services as our technical director,”Randiek said. “He was a committed servant of the game and always put the game first before anything else.”

Randiek, who played alongside “Kake” when the national team won gold during the 1987 All African Games, said that he is yet to meet a utility player of “Kake”s calibre. “He would play anywhere; in defence, middle or attack easily,” said Randiek, adding that “Kake” has mentored great players like Meshak Senge and Zack Aura, among others.

“On my behalf, Kenya Hockey Union, the hockey fraternity, and the Olympic family, I do extend our sincere condolences to the family and friends,” said Randiek.

“He was simply a gem, fitting in the league of players like Avtar Sohal, Inderjeet “Coolie” Matharu and the late Cliff Odendo,” said Lall, who now coaches Karate Axiom.

Lall, who met “Kake” for the first time in 1979, said as his finest fullback, he was picked alongside Peter Akatsa in the Africa XI for the inaugural Inter-Continent Tournament played in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in December 1990.

“He told me as a defender, one must gain respect early and that stuck in me,” said Senge, adding that he has never known a fighter greater than “Kake” on the pitch. “With a red ribbon on his head,  for “Kake” it was time for war, and we fought to the last second without giving up.”

The KHU technical advisor is survived by a widow, Rajinder Kaur, and two sons - Manpreet and Jasraj.

“Kake” was born on September 19, 1957 in Kisumu and went to Miwani Primary School the later Kisumu Boys High School where he played hockey for the institution until 1976.

In the same year, he moved to the United Kingdom for further studies at Langley College, Slough, Berkshire where he enrolled for Slough Hockey Club  - one of the top clubs in the country.

He returned to Kenya in 1979 and joined the defunct Kisumu Simba Union Club. He was called up to the national team for the Six Nations Tournament in Loisano, Italy where he earned his first international cap when he was selected to play against India on September 5, 1981.

“Kake” captained Kenya at the East African Championship in Tanga, Tanzania in 1983 before featuring in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games. Kenya finished eighth overall.

“Kake” was part of the team that qualified for the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games in which Kenya were 12th. That is the last time that Kenya’s hockey team partcipated at the Olympic Games.

“Kake” played at the Indira Gandhi Memorial tournament in India in 1990. Upon retiring, he coached Kisumu Simba Union before being appointed Team Kenya manager at the All African Games in South Africa in 1999.  

He served as KHU vice chairman from 2014 to 2015 ,and was the union’s technical advisor until his demise.