KUALA LUMPUR – In a poignant display of unity and reverence, national hockey icons paid tribute to Jugjet Singh Randhawa by sharing moments that transcended their boundaries with the late sportswriter.
Jugjet, who served with the New Straits Times, was synonymous with international hockey reports and bravely battled colon cancer.
His last contribution to Malaysian hockey was during the FIH Hockey Junior World Cup, held at the National Hockey Stadium last December.
Jugjet, aged 56, left behind his wife, Jasbir Kaur Aujla, and four sons – Arvin, Sanjit, Ranjit, and Baljit.
Speaking to Scoop, national hockey head coach Sarjit Singh said that Jugjet was the most honest journalist he had ever encountered in his two-decade career as a coach.
“We will never see a passionate hockey journalist like Jugjet anymore. His dedication and love for the game are unparalleled.
“He was a very good man and always honest about his opinions, and honesty is something we both always shared.
“I remember the amount of good coverage he gave me and my players during the FIH Men’s Junior World Cup in Rotterdam, Netherlands, in 2005. He was a person always full of positivity.
“May his soul rest in peace,” said Sarjit when contacted.
Datuk Mirnawan Nawawi, who was the national team captain at the 1998 Commonwealth Games and the 2000 Sydney Olympics, said Jugjet had always been his pillar of support during his days as a player.
“For me, I consider Jugjet a friend of Malaysian hockey, and he has always been a pillar of support for me with his write-ups during my playing days and even when I was the national team manager for the junior and senior teams.
“He always added colour with his reporting, and I would like to take this moment to send my condolences to his wife and his children.
“I’m going to miss my friend and his dedication towards the game, where he always wanted the game to grow,” said Mirnawan.
Former national head coach Stephen Van Huizen echoed a similar sentiment by saying that Jugjet’s knowledge of the sport had always been top-notch.
“He was a very dedicated hockey reporter and very knowledgeable and honest with his opinions and he didn’t hold back from writing based on what he saw.
“He was a no-nonsense reporter, and you could always see him at the national hockey stadium watching the games and being supportive of the sport’s growth in our country.
“This is the biggest loss for Malaysian sports journalism after the demise of the late Satwant Singh Dhaliwal a couple of years ago, and we need more passionate reporters like them who dedicated their entire lives to the growth of the game,” said Stephen.
Meanwhile, Malaysia Hockey Confederation coaching committee chairman Datuk Majid Manjit Abdullah shared his grief at losing a friend he had known for more than 30 years.
Manjit, who is also the president of the Johor Hockey Association, said that Jugjet had never shied away from any of the state’s events and had always covered the Sultan of Johor Cup since the inception of the tournament in 2011.
“I’m extremely sad about the loss of my good friend Jugjet. I have known him for more than three decades, and he was always there whenever I organised any hockey tournaments in Johor.
“He has not only helped national players but also so many grassroots and rising talents in the game.
“His demise is the biggest loss for sport and sports journalism in general in our country,” said Manjit.
The late Jugjet will be cremated tomorrow at the Jalan Loke Yew crematorium at around 3pm. – March 14, 2024