H S Loomba
IHFS – Excellence Award For Sports (Hockey Coach)
A Life of Service, Hockey and Achievement Harbhajan Singh Loomba, moved from India to Singapore in1949. He enrolled at Victoria School, where I was an active member of the school hockey team. After graduating, I joined the Teachers’ Training College and earned my Certificate in Education.
In 1965, I was posted to Whitley Secondary School as a teacher. I served in the teaching profession with dedication until 2004, when I resigned to pursue a career in the hospitality industry. Throughout my teaching career, hockey remained my greatest passion. I played for the Singapore Indian Association and was selected to represent Singapore’s national hockey team. One of the proudest moments of my playing career came in 1960, when Singapore became the first winners of the Tun Abdul Razak Cup, defeating Malaya 1–0. I had the honour of scoring the winning goal—a moment remembered as “Harbhajan’s Goal and Singapore’s Glory.”
In 1962, I made my international debut at the Asian Games in Jakarta. During my international career, I represented Singapore in matches against Malaysia, India, and Pakistan. To further develop my knowledge of the game, I attended coaching courses in Patiala, India, and Karachi, Pakistan. My contribution to hockey extended beyond playing.
In 1977, I served as coach of Singapore’s Junior World Cup team and was instrumental in guiding the team through the preliminary rounds to qualify for the Junior World Cup in Paris. As a member of the national coaching team under Hardial Singh, the distinguished Indian Olympian, Singapore won the gold medal at the Southeast Asian Peninsular (SEAP) Games in Singapore by defeating Malaysia 1–0. I also coached the Singapore women’s team at the 1984 Regional Hockey Tournament in Hong Kong and at the 1985 Asia Cup in Seoul, South Korea.
In addition to coaching, I became a National Class One Umpire. In 1982, I was selected to officiate at the Asia Cup in Karachi, where I umpired three matches. Following the tournament, I was promoted to International Grade One Umpire. Later, I was appointed as a Technical Delegate for international hockey tournaments held in Malaysia and New Zealand.
Among the major milestones during my hockey journey were:
- Singapore’s participation in the 1956 Melbourne Olympic Games.
- The 1979 Junior World Cup in Paris.
- Representing Singapore as a player, coach, umpire, and technical delegate across many international competitions.
Looking back, I can truly say that I have fulfilled my dreams.
Teaching was my career, but hockey—whether as a player, coach, umpire, or administrator—was my lifelong passion. I am grateful to have served Singapore both in education and in sport, and I remain proud of the contribution I made to the development of hockey in the nation.