In India, the Dronacharya Award is presented by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, to honour coaches who have displayed "outstanding and meritorious work on a consistent basis and enabled sportspersons to excel in international events."
After hearing of the pain that she had to endure before and during the race, a government-run enterprise in Chennai has come forward to help Swapna get customised shoes.
"My father (who passed away) said that he would accompany me to the Games. I had never allowed my parents to come to my practice sessions, as it used to make me nervous. But I would have been happy to have him here."
Smashing stereotypes and surpassing societal limitations, Hima, Saritaben, Vismaya and Poovama beat all odds to win India's 5th consecutive 4x400m gold at #AsianGames!
The athlete, who had to attach a Kinesio tape around her swollen right jaw, to make the pain bearable, also won shot put, javelin and high jump. She also became the fifth woman athlete to score 6,000 points in the sport.
The journey for Manjit was never easy. When he wasn’t undergoing strenuous training at Ooty and Bhutan, he would return home once a year to help his father herd cattle on their farm in their native village, Ujhana, in the Jind district of Haryana.
Started by a marginal farmer, this humble shed has become a breeding ground for champions — the latest being 16-year-old Saurabh Chaudhary who clinched an Asian Games gold!
Puttamma recalls how a young Usha, then in high school wanted to go to the tryouts at Vidyapeetha for the sub-junior selections. She asked her mother for Rs 10 to take the bus from Yeshwantpur.