The doyen of Kenyan cricket Jasmer Singh passes on
Doyen of Kenyan cricket Jasmer Singh (left) receives an award from Safaricom's Rita Okuthe during the 2015 Sports Personality of the Year on January 16, 2016 at Kenyatta International Conference Centre. Singh died on September 21, 2016. PHOTO | CHRIS OMOLLO |
What you need to know:
- Grewal said that Jasmer’s body will be cremated on Friday at 1pm at the Hindu crematorium, Kariokor.
- Jasmer was Kenya’s cricket encyclopaedia.
- At the time of his death, Jasmer was the only Kenyan member of MCC. He managed the East African team for the inaugural ICC World Cup in London in 1975.
The doyen of Kenyan Cricket, Jasmer Singh has passed on.
His son, Grewal ‘Papu’ Singh on Thursday said that his father died on Wednesday, at 85 years, in a Nairobi hospital after a short illness.
Grewal said that Jasmer’s body will be cremated on Friday at 1pm at the Hindu crematorium, Kariokor.
Former Kenya Cricket Association chairman, Sharad Ghai said that Jasmer was a father of Kenya’s cricket. He said that Jasmer gave 100 percent of his life to the game.
Jasmer was Chief Executive Officer of KCA when Ghai was the chairman. Ghai said that Jasmer was always ready to give advice and that he adopted himself well with the times.
Asif Karim, one of the players who represented the country for many years, was shocked when he leant that Jasmer had passed on. He described Jasmer as a person who carried himself with a lot of dignity.
“His death is a great loss to the country as he was one of the rare breeds of sports administrators,” said Karim.
CRICKET ENCYCLOPEDIA
Jasmer was Kenya’s cricket encyclopaedia.
He was part of a Kenyan all-Asian side that toured apartheid South Africa in 1956 as an opening batsman. At the time there were two associations running the game in the country, Asian Cricket Association and Kenya Kongonis, an exclusively Europeans club.
The Kenya Cricket Association (KCA), a multi-racial body, was formed later on which saw the demise of the Asian association. However, Kongonis remained and opened doors to become an all-inclusive club.
Jasmer’s contribution to the development of the game in the country was recognised by Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) based at Lord’s cricket ground, London, that made him an Honorary Life member in 1992.
At the time of his death, Jasmer was the only Kenyan member of MCC. He managed the East African team for the inaugural ICC World Cup in London in 1975.
He was part of the management of Kenya’s squad for decades, either as a team manager or a tour manager.
In 1992 Jasmer was the team manager of the Kenya team that reached the semi-finals of the ICC trophy for the first time in Holland. He was also the team manager when Kenya made their World Cup debut in 1996.
