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 "slug": "sayed-jaffar",
 "title": "Sayed Jaffar",
 "updated": "2026-10-25",
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 "excerpt": "Sayed Jaffar, also known as Jaffar Shah, was an Indian field hockey left winger who won Olympic gold medals with British India at Los Angeles 1932 and Berlin 1936.",
 "snippet": "Sayed Jaffar, also known as Jaffar Shah, was an Indian field hockey left winger who won Olympic gold medals with British India at Los Angeles 1932 and Berlin 1936.",
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 "markdown": "# Sayed Jaffar\n\n**Sayed Jaffar**, full name Sayed Muhammad Jaffar Shah (born December 1911; died 21 March 1937), was an Indian field hockey player who won two Olympic gold medals as a left winger, at the 1932 Los Angeles Games and the 1936 Berlin Games, representing British India.<sup>[1](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/19189)</sup> He was also known by the name \"Jaffar Shah\".<sup>[1](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/19189)</sup>\n\n| Key fact | Detail |\n|---|---|\n| Full name | Sayed Muhammad Jaffar Shah; used name Sayed Jaffar; also called \"Jaffar Shah\"<sup>[1](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/19189)</sup> |\n| Born | December 1911 in Shergarh, Punjab, in what is now Pakistan<sup>[1](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/19189)</sup> |\n| Died | 21 March 1937, Lahore, Punjab, in a hunting accident on the river Ravi<sup>[1](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/19189)</sup> |\n| Position | Left winger; described as among the best players in the left-out position of his era<sup>[1](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/19189)</sup> |\n| Olympic medals | 2 gold, men's hockey, Los Angeles 1932 and Berlin 1936<sup>[1](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/19189)</sup> |\n| Height | 173 cm<sup>[1](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/19189)</sup> |\n\n## Olympic career\n\nJaffar played for the British India men's hockey team at two consecutive Olympic Games, both of which ended with the team finishing first and taking the gold medal.<sup>[1](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/19189)</sup> At Los Angeles 1932 he was part of a squad that included [Dhyan Chand](https://www.edgepedia.org/dhyan-chand), Roop Singh, Richard Allen, and [Carlyle Tapsell](https://www.edgepedia.org/carlyle-tapsell); at Berlin 1936 he again played alongside Dhyan Chand and Allen, with teammates including [Joe Galibardy](https://www.edgepedia.org/joe-galibardy), Peter Paul Fernandes, and Lionel Emmett.<sup>[2](https://www.olympedia.org/countries/IND/sports/HOC)</sup> Olympedia lists him among the hockey players who successfully defended their Olympic title in the same event in back-to-back Games.<sup>[1](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/19189)</sup>\n\nHis standing in the 1936 team went beyond his playing role.\n\n## Life and education\n\nJaffar was born in 1911 in Shergarh, in the Punjab region that after the 1947 partition fell within Pakistan.<sup>[1](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/19189)</sup> He was educated at Aitchison College and at Government College, both in Lahore.<sup>[1](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/19189)</sup> His recorded playing height was 173 cm.<sup>[1](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/19189)</sup>\n\n## Death\n\nJaffar died on 21 March 1937 in a hunting accident on the banks of the river Ravi near Lahore. When he went to retrieve a downed duck, he was caught in seaweed and drowned.<sup>[1](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/19189)</sup> He was about 25 years old.\n\n## Memorials\n\nTwo commemorations in Lahore keep his name in the sport.\n\n## Related names\n\nSeveral later athletes share similar names and should not be confused with the hockey player. Sayed Mohammed Jaffer (born 1985 in Manama) is a Bahraini goalkeeper who has played for Al-Muharraq SC and the Bahrain national team.<sup>[3](https://fbref.com/en/players/ba60ea49/)</sup> Sayed Ahmed Jaafar (born 1991) is a retired Bahraini central midfielder with 33 caps for Bahrain.<sup>[4](https://www.transfermarkt.com/sayed-ahmed-jaafar/profil/spieler/264224)</sup> Ahmed Ebrahim Haroon Jaffer (1909–1990) was a Pakistani sports administrator, the first President of the Pakistan Olympic Association and an [International Olympic Committee](https://www.edgepedia.org/international-olympic-committee) member from 1949 to 1956.<sup>[5](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/899198)</sup>\n\n## References\n\n1. [Sayed Jaffar, Olympedia](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/19189)\n2. [India in Hockey, Olympedia](https://www.olympedia.org/countries/IND/sports/HOC)\n3. [Sayed Mohammed Jaffer, FBref](https://fbref.com/en/players/ba60ea49/)\n4. [Sayed Ahmed Jaafar, Transfermarkt](https://www.transfermarkt.com/sayed-ahmed-jaafar/profil/spieler/264224)\n5. [Ahmed Jaffer, Olympedia](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/899198)\n\n---\n*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Other team and ball sports › Hockey and remaining team sports › Field hockey › Indian field hockey players*\n\n*Initially written Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 25, 2026*\n\n*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*\n\nLicense: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license\n",
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  "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license",
  "summary": "Free with credit, commercial use included. AI training is open to everyone. For other uses, organizations over USD 100M in revenue or 100M monthly users license separately.",
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 "credit": "\"Sayed Jaffar\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/sayed-jaffar. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.",
 "credit_md": "\"[Sayed Jaffar](https://www.edgepedia.org/sayed-jaffar)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), [https://www.edgepedia.org/sayed-jaffar](https://www.edgepedia.org/sayed-jaffar). [Edgepedia Community License 1.0](https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license).",
 "credit_html": "\"<a href=\"https://www.edgepedia.org/sayed-jaffar\">Sayed Jaffar</a>\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), <a href=\"https://www.edgepedia.org/sayed-jaffar\">https://www.edgepedia.org/sayed-jaffar</a>. <a href=\"https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license\">Edgepedia Community License 1.0</a>.",
 "speakable": "Sayed Jaffar, also known as Jaffar Shah, was an Indian field hockey left winger who won Olympic gold medals with British India at Los Angeles 1932 and Berlin 1936."
}
