Avtar Singh Bhurji

Avtar Singh Bhurji (15 December 1944 – 26 January 2025) was an Indian-born Ugandan field hockey player. He competed in the men's tournament at the 1972 Summer Olympics for Uganda. After the Games, Bhurji continued playing hockey until 1991 until a health condition forced him to retire. He also coached hockey teams for several decades and became a field hockey photographer.

Early life Bhurji was born in Bika, a village in Jalandhar, India on 15 December 1944. The same year he moved to Kampala, the capital city of Uganda, along with his father, who owned a construction company. He attended Demonstration Primary School and Kololo Senior Secondary School in Uganda before spending time In England where he attended Kingston University in London.

Career As a member of Uganda's burgeoning Asian population, Bhurji took up field hockey. While attending university in England, Bhurji played for Spencer Hockey Club, London Indians and Middlesex Under-21st. He returned to Uganda in 1969, joining Sikh Union Kampala. The family eventually settled in London where Bhurji began playing for Blackheath Hockey Club.