Chandigarh’s Jesse nation’s first golf coach Jaskirat Singh Grewal to get Dronacharya Award
Deepankar Sharda
Chandigarh, December 20
In a proud moment for the local golfing fraternity, city-based Jaskirat Singh Grewal, popularly known as Jesse Grewal, has become India’s first golf coach to get the Dronacharya Award.
After 33 years of coaching, Grewal will get this coveted award from the President of India at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on January 9. Grewal has trained international golfers Shubhankar Sharma, Karandeep Kochhar, Aadil Bedi, Amandeep Drall, Irina Brar, Yuvraj Sandhu, Angad Cheema, Abhijit Chadha, and budding golfers Nihaal Cheema and Ojaswani Sehrawat. He has been named for the Dronacharya Award for outstanding coaches in sports and games, 2023, in the lifetime category.
Honour in Lifetime category
- Jesse Grewal has been named for the Dronacharya Award for outstanding coaches in sports and games, 2023, in the lifetime category.
Was coach for indian team at Asian Games
- Grewal was the coach of the Indian golf team for the 2023 Asian Games, where Aditi Ashok won silver. He was also the coach of the Indian men’s golf team for 2008 and 2012 Eisenhower Trophy (The World Cup of Golf).
Trained international, budding golfers
- Grewal has trained international golfers Shubhankar Sharma, Karandeep Kochhar, Aadil Bedi, Amandeep Drall, Irina Brar, Yuvraj Sandhu, Angad Cheema, Abhijit Chadha, and budding golfers Nihaal Cheema and Ojaswani Sehrawat.
He is the second Dronacharya awardee from Chandigarh after former cricket coach Desh Prem Azad, who coached former India Captain Kapil Dev.
Earlier, the likes of Jeev Milkha Singh, Harmeet Kahlon and Shubhankar Sharma (from the tricity) have been conferred with Arjuna Award for their achievements in golf.
Grewal had played in the PGA of India tournaments for two years before becoming a golf teaching professional.
Recently, he was appointed the coach of the Indian golf team for the 2023 Asian Games, where Aditi Ashok won silver. He was also the coach of the Indian men’s golf team for 2008 and 2012 Eisenhower Trophy (The World Cup of Golf).
A Level-1 TPI golf fitness instructor, Grewal is also Level 2 junior coach (Titleist Performance Institute), Level 1 Sam Putt Lab and also done Level 2 from Harold Swash Putting School.
“I am really honoured to get this award… Really elated, as the government has considered the sport (golf) for this recognition. I will be awarded under the lifetime category, where 20-year coaching is considered. I am really lucky to give 33 years of my life to this beautiful sport. I am looking ahead for medals in golf at the 2024 Paris Olympics,” said Grewal.
“Golf has seen an overwhelming response from all corners and Chandigarh has been a golfing nursery. The city has produced some top class golfers and the young generation is taking a keen interest in the sport,” he added.
Grewal has been the Director of the National Golf Academy of India (NGAI) since 2008 at the Chandigarh Golf Association (CGA) Range. The Education and Certification course started at the range in 2004 and Grewal was part of the founding teaching staff. More than 500 teaching professionals have been certified by the NGAI. “Besides teaching golf to budding golfers, we have to have a base of good coaches in India to promote the sport,” he added.
