photo: IHAI
The founder and former general secretary of the Ice Hockey Association of India, Akshay Kumar, passed away at the age of 51.
He died in hospital on Wednesday after a cardiac arrest he suffered during his early morning routine of cycling.
Kumar led the Ice Hockey Association of India for many years. His father Col N Kumar earlier formed the Winter Games Federation of India from which the Ice Hockey Association of India was established later.
Akshay Kumar became the organization’s first General Secretary in 2002 and held the position until 2013 and continued to be involved as a director. He was also a delegate for India at IIHF congresses until 2015.
During his time as General Secretary, India had its international debut in the 2009 IIHF Ice Hockey Challenge Cup of Asia. In 2012 India hosted the tournament for the first time in Dehradun and had its first win in IIHF history, 5-1 against Macau.
Kumar was an ice hockey player and skier himself and worked in the tourism industry where he was CEO of Mercury Himalayan Explorations and a former President of Adventure Tour Operators Association of India and former Vice President of the Federation of Associations in India Tourism & Hospitality.
Kumar is survived by his wife Dilshad and their daughter.
He died in hospital on Wednesday after a cardiac arrest he suffered during his early morning routine of cycling.
Kumar led the Ice Hockey Association of India for many years. His father Col N Kumar earlier formed the Winter Games Federation of India from which the Ice Hockey Association of India was established later.
Akshay Kumar became the organization’s first General Secretary in 2002 and held the position until 2013 and continued to be involved as a director. He was also a delegate for India at IIHF congresses until 2015.
During his time as General Secretary, India had its international debut in the 2009 IIHF Ice Hockey Challenge Cup of Asia. In 2012 India hosted the tournament for the first time in Dehradun and had its first win in IIHF history, 5-1 against Macau.
Kumar was an ice hockey player and skier himself and worked in the tourism industry where he was CEO of Mercury Himalayan Explorations and a former President of Adventure Tour Operators Association of India and former Vice President of the Federation of Associations in India Tourism & Hospitality.
Kumar is survived by his wife Dilshad and their daughter.