“I believe in that there is nothing like; you cannot do in this world. You can do anything, if you want to.” The perseverance with which Amir Khan pursued his dreams has earned him respect from his team mates, hockey players, colleagues, friends, family and employers alike.
Amir’s grandfather Inayat Ullah Khan served as a Minister to the Nawab Hamid Ali Khan of Rampur in India. His father Mohammad Yousuf Khan continued to serve as an accountant even after the princely state became part of the Republic of India in 1947. His mother Batoola Begum was a homemaker.
Amir was born in the quiet town of Rampur in 1943 and has very fond memories of his childhood. Hockey was the main sport and he believes that the game helped keep people together even when the whole nation was experiencing a lot of tension between Hindu and Muslim communities. His passion for hockey followed him wherever he went, even as he made his way to America for the first time in 1984 to explore new opportunities.
Amir returned to India in 1986 to represent India at the Veterans World Cup Hockey Tournament held in London. The team was given an official send off by Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and Arjun Singh, the Governor of Punjab. Upon his return he was honored in his hometown Rampur.
Amir as a seasoned player with a great passion for the game he had always taken a keen interest in promoting hockey, officiating, and managing games. He continues to do so even today in the USA.
Upon arriving in USA in 1984 Amir stayed with one of his students from India. He started doing odd jobs until he found work as a machinist.
Seeing the digital revolution taking hold he decided to join college to upgrade his skills. While supporting himself he started taking basic course in Hudson Community College in 1988. He also studied networking at Chubb Institute to gain knowledge in the growing IT sector.
After finding a stable job with Princeton University Library Amir joined Riders University and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and Business Administration in 2008.
In 1992 Amir met the love of his life Kausar Khan who had immigrated from Pakistan to USA.
Besides volunteering in the community he continues to actively officiate, coach and play hockey. In 2016 he went to Australia for the Grandmasters Hockey Tournament and is still as passionate and excited about hockey as he was when he first picked up the stick in Rampur as a child.
He is one of the founding directors of the tax exempt nonprofit Indian American Club