 Zafar Iqbal, an far famed Indian field hockey player, with Indian blue jersey number 11, played Left Out. This promising filed hockey player Iqbal hails from a erudite family. His father by profession was a learned Professor and served as the Head of the Department of Chemistry at Aligarh Muslim University. His elder brother is an established researcher at this time working at King saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. His sister is an accomplished Doctor, a gynaecologist to an exceptional degree, good academic record at AMU, bestowed eleven gold medals and received the award from the President of India for being the best woman medical graduate for the year of 1987. Zafar Iqbal was born in Uttar Pradesh completed his study with a degree in civil engineering from the noted Aligarh Muslim University .
Zafar Iqbal's valuable contribution as a captain of Indian national team benefited for India and in Moscow Olympics, the team won the last Olympic Gold Medal. In various International events, he has headed Indian team and glorified among them being Asian Games, in 1982 and 1983 Champions Trophy and 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games. At the youth festival held in Moscow, Zafar Iqbal was also chosen to carry flag of Indian Squad later on and later in the opening ceremony of the 1984 LA Olympics, the tricolour. In early 80's, Zafar Iqbal and Mohammad Shahid, who played for India, enriched Indian hockey. The last glimpse of hockey India experienced with these great players as a world force. They formed a deadly accumulation who could shatter any defence in the world. In a deplorable manner, Zafar is also recollected for the miss in front of an open West German goal. It was a crucial match, which resulted in a draw and cost India the semifinal spot in the 1984 LA Olympics. The highest award given in sports by India, the Arjuna Award was coferred to him for his outstanding contribution to the Indian hockey. For Indian hockey, he has also served in the capacity of Chief National Coach. Under his Coaching, India played for the Asian Games, which was held in Korea and India won silver in that tournament. He was the hockey coach of Indian team from early 1993 to October 1994. After that he joined Indian Airlines as Manager (Civil). This former Olympic hockey captain Zafar Iqbal has also showed his interest even after his retirement from the sports. He has defended Indian Hockey Federation president Kanwar Pal Singh Gill's disputation regarding the issue of hiring foreign coaches to be restored to consciousness about the game hockey in the country. While giving an interview to rediff.com, he said, "The time has come, when Indian hockey should have not only foreign coaches to brush up our hockey-playing techniques, but also a foreign trainer who would keep an eye on the fitness level of the Indian players. If you want to be a power in hockey, then you have got to spend money." (Last Updated on : 04-01-2011) |
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