News
Teachers’ Day 2020: Here’s a look at the best teachers of Indian Sports
Teachers’ Day is celebrated on September 5th annually to celebrate the efforts of teachers around the country. These teachers and coaches are the primary factors behind success that has put India on the world map as one of the most successful countries. Here are the 10 coaches who have made a significant impact on Indian sports.
Pullela Gopichand (Source: New Indian Express)
Pullela Gopichand (Badminton)
Pullela Gopichand is a well known name in Badminton. He is known for winning many medals including the All England Open Badminton Championships at Birmingham. During this time, he defeated world number 1 Peter Gade and became the second Indian after Prakash Padukone to win the championships, having trained at the latter’s academy. Gopichand badminton academy, his vision for future medalists of India, has now trained the likes of P.V. Sindhu, Saina Nehwal, Srikanth Kidambi and more.
Baldev Singh
Baldev Singh (Hockey)
Baldev Singh is one of the greatest gems of Indian hockey. He was the recipient of the prestigious Dronacharya award in 2009, having it conferred onto him by former President Pratibha Patil. He has trained over 80 players since receiving his coaching diploma in 1980, that also include Olympic players like drag flicker Sandeep Singh and captain of the Indian Women’s Hockey team Rani Rampal.
Mahavir Singh Phogat
Mahavir Phogat (Wrestling)
Mahavir Singh Phogat gained traction after the release of the movie ‘Dangal’ which was loosely based on his life. He is a senior Olympics coach who trained his daughters Geeta Phogat and Babita Phogat in wrestling. Geeta went onto win a gold medal at 2010 Commonwealth Games, and also became the first Indian woman to qualify for the Olympics. He has also trained his niece Vinesh Phogat who is a Commonwealth Games and 2018 Asian Games gold medalist.
Jaspal Rana (Source: Getty Images)
Jaspal Rana (Shooting)
Jaspal Rana has won multiple medals in the Asian Games and won a gold medal in the 1994 ISSF World Shooting Championships. He has coached many junior talents in shooting like Anish Bhanwala and Manu Bhaker. His name stirred controversy in 2019 when Rana was not nominated for the Dronacharya award which led to questioning from celebrated Olympic shooter Abhinav Bindra.
Bisheshwar Nandi (Source: The Quint)
Bisheshwar Nandi (Gymnastics)
Bisheshwar Nandi is an Indian gymnastics coach who is training the first Indian woman to compete for Olympic gymnastics, Dipa Karmakar. She made her debut in the Rio 2016 Olympics. According to The Week, he is training local gymnast Priyanka Dasgupta who managed to secure four medals in the Khelo India Games in Guwahati.
R.B. Ramesh
R.B. Ramesh (Chess)
A former Commonwealth Games champion, RB Ramesh is regarded as one of India’s best chess coaches. He started Chess Gurukul, a chess community that trains junior talent with his wife GM Aartie Ramaswamy. The community has since won 31 National Championship titles, 29 Youth World Championships and 17 Commonwealth Championships.
G.E. Sridharan (Source: Sportstar - The Hindu)
G.E. Sridharan (Volleyball)
E. Sridharan is a veteran volleyball career who had an athletic career that lasted from late 1970s to late 1980s. He received the Arjuna award in 1982 and the Dronacharya award in 2008. He was chief coach of the women’s volleyball squad at the 2018 Asian Games.
Robert Bobby George
Robert Bobby George (Athletics)
Husband to Olympic athlete Anju Bobby George, Robert was a national Triple Jump Champion who later on became the former’s official coach. He now trains upcoming athletes in the Anju Bobby High Performance Academy in Bangalore.
Vijay Sharma
Vijay Sharma (Weightlifting)
Vijay Sharma is a weightlifting coach who is credited with changing the scenario of the sport of weightlifting in India. Having been a former weightlifter, he devised separate diets, trainings and recovery schedules which shaped the training for many weightlifters who were under his guidance.
Galina Bukharina (Source: The Indian Express)
Galina Bukharina (Athletics)
Many athletes retire after a certain age to pursue other aspects. However, Russian athletics coach Galina Bukharina who trained Soviet Union’s women’s 4x400m for 1988 Seoul Olympics is training Indian athletes at the age of 75. She coached Hima Das who went onto become 2018 World Junior Champion and is currently training the Indian athletics team.
Also read: Teachers’ Day 2020: How RB Ramesh’s prodigy Praggnanandhaa is conquering the chess world
