New Delhi : Despite training three Commonwealth Games gold medallists, women’s wrestling coach Mahavir Singh Phogat has been ignored for the Dronacharya Award for the third consecutive year.
The Dronacharya Award selection committee nominated greco-roman wrestling coach Mahavir Prasad, G. Manoharan (boxing), Jose Jacob (rowing), N. Lingappa (athletics) and Gurcharan Singh Gogi (judo) for the prestigious awards.
Phogat was upset after missing out on the prestigious award for the third year running. His elder daughter Geeta had given the nation the first gold medal from the sport in 2010 Commonwealth Games. His another daughter Babita Kumari and niece Vinesh won gold medals in last month’s Glasgow Commonwealth Games.
Phogat wondered why he was ignored for the Dronacharya Award.
“This is frustrating. This is the third time I have been ignored for the Dronacharya Awards. But I have given records in cadet, junior and senior level consistently. I just want to know what is the basis of giving the awards,” Phogat told IANS.
“If I don’t get it now when will I get it? Next year, they may come up with some another reason,” he added.
Even Babita was upset after she learnt that her father was overlooked again. “After we won the gold medals in the Glasgow Games, we were expecting the Drona Award for my father. He has given consistent results in the last four years. Girls who are training under him are winning medals consistently at cadet, junior and senior tournaments,” Babita said.
Meanwhile, Davis Cup coach Zeeshan Ali, Olmypic hockey gold medallist Gurmail Singh and 1951 Asian Games diving champion K.P Thakkar were Monday nominated for the Dhyan Chand Award, India’s highest sporting award for life time achievement.
This is frustrating. This is the third time
I have been ignored for the Drona Awards. But I have given records
in cadet, junior and senior level
consistently. I just want to know
what is the basis of giving the awards
Mahavir Singh Phogat Wrestling coach
