Mandeep, Kuldeep apply for Drona award

Sabi Hussain

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, June 9

Controversy has never been far from Dronacharya awards. As has been the case in the past, this year’s applications for the award too saw two coaches claiming to have coached Sakshi Malik for the bronze medal glory at the Rio Olympics.

Among the 10 applications received by the Sports Ministry for the awards are of Kuldeep Malik and Mandeep.  While Malik has been the chief coach of the women’s wrestling team and currently trains the wrestlers at the SAI centre in Lucknow, Mandeep, according to his affidavit to the Ministry, has claimed to be Sakshi’s coach since her childhood. Both the applications have Sakshi’s signature.

The reason for sending the application isn’t getting the award alone. There’s another slice of pie which the two coaches have been eyeing. After Sakshi’s return from the Rio Games, the Haryana government had announced a cash award of Rs 10 lakh for the coach who had trained the 58kg wrestler to the Olympics glory.

Since four coaches — Ishwar Dahiya, Rajbir Singh, Mandeep and Malik — had staked claim to have fine-tuned Sakshi’s game under their guidance and thus were entitled for Rs 10 lakh, the state government has put the cash award on hold for  further clarifications. All the four had filed an affidavit before the state government’s sports department in this regard. In fact, Sakshi had informed the Haryana sports department that Mandeep offered her personalised training since January 2015, while Malik accompanied her to Rio merely as the head coach of the women’s team.

Mandeep and Malik are of the view that the state government would offer the cheque to the coach who will get the Dronacharya award on August 29.

“Yes, that’s the thinking behind applying for the award. It’s Rs 10 lakh cash award which both have been pursuing. They know it very well that the Haryana government would present the cheque to one receiving the Dronacharya award,” said an insider close to Sakshi.

There are indications that the awards committee may approach Sakshi for her consent before finalising the name. The Wrestling Federation of India has, though, backed Malik for the award.

Arjuna awards applicants

Cheteshwar Pujara (cricket), Harmanpreet Kaur (cricket), Atanu Das (archery), Saketh Myneni (tennis), Mohammed Asab (shooting), Ayonika Paul (shooting), Satyavrat Kadian (wrestling), Sandeep Tomar (wrestling), Khushbir Kaur (race walker), Sanjeeta Chanu (weighlifting), Navjot Channa (judo), V Sumith Reddy (badminton), N Sikki Reddy (badminton), Anthony Amalraj (table tennis), K Shamini (table tennis), Sarjubala Devi (boxer), Sonia Lather (boxing), Devendro (boxer), Pinki Jangra (boxer), Ritu Rani (hockey), Dharambir Singh (hockey)

Khel Ratna applicants

• Mariyappan Thangavelu (gold in men’s T42 high jump)
• Devendra Jhajharia (gold in men’s F46 javelin throw)
• Deepa Malik (silver in women’s F53 shot put)
• Varun Bhati (bronze in men’s T42 high jump)
• Manoj Kumar (boxing)
• Sardar Singh (hockey)