Sayed Jaffar
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.1 He was also known by the name "Jaffar Shah".1
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name | Sayed Muhammad Jaffar Shah; used name Sayed Jaffar; also called "Jaffar Shah"1 |
| Born | December 1911 in Shergarh, Punjab, in what is now Pakistan1 |
| Died | 21 March 1937, Lahore, Punjab, in a hunting accident on the river Ravi1 |
| Position | Left winger; described as among the best players in the left-out position of his era1 |
| Olympic medals | 2 gold, men's hockey, Los Angeles 1932 and Berlin 19361 |
| Height | 173 cm1 |
Olympic career
Jaffar 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.1 At Los Angeles 1932 he was part of a squad that included Dhyan Chand, Roop Singh, Richard Allen, and Carlyle Tapsell; at Berlin 1936 he again played alongside Dhyan Chand and Allen, with teammates including Joe Galibardy, Peter Paul Fernandes, and Lionel Emmett.2 Olympedia lists him among the hockey players who successfully defended their Olympic title in the same event in back-to-back Games.1
His standing in the 1936 team went beyond his playing role.
Life and education
Jaffar was born in 1911 in Shergarh, in the Punjab region that after the 1947 partition fell within Pakistan.1 He was educated at Aitchison College and at Government College, both in Lahore.1 His recorded playing height was 173 cm.1
Death
Jaffar 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.1 He was about 25 years old.
Memorials
Two commemorations in Lahore keep his name in the sport.
Related names
Several 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.3 Sayed Ahmed Jaafar (born 1991) is a retired Bahraini central midfielder with 33 caps for Bahrain.4 Ahmed Ebrahim Haroon Jaffer (1909–1990) was a Pakistani sports administrator, the first President of the Pakistan Olympic Association and an International Olympic Committee member from 1949 to 1956.5
References
- Sayed Jaffar, Olympedia
- India in Hockey, Olympedia
- Sayed Mohammed Jaffer, FBref
- Sayed Ahmed Jaafar, Transfermarkt
- Ahmed Jaffer, Olympedia
Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Other team and ball sports › Hockey and remaining team sports › Field hockey › Indian field hockey players
Initially written Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 25, 2026
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