One academy, a generation of international players

While representing India is a milestone few reach, Sneh Lata’s true legacy lies in what she has built since. In 2010, she founded a handball coaching academy in her native village in Bilaspur district. Fifteen years on, the numbers are staggering: over 100 international players nurtured, nearly 200 national-level medal winners and more than 70 athletes who have secured government jobs through the sports quota.

Her academy, run alongside her husband Sachin Chaudhary, himself a former player, has become a pipeline of talent. Many of their trainees have gone on to represent India at premier events such as the Asian Games, World Championships and Asian Championships. For years now, a significant chunk of India’s handball teams, sometimes as high as 50 per cent, has emerged from this single rural setup. At the state level, the dominance is even more striking.

Beyond medals and representation, the academy has transformed lives. Many young girls from nearby and distant areas arrive with little exposure to the sport, driven by the hope of building a stable future. For many, that hope has turned into reality.

Among them is Diksha Thakur, one of the early trainees, who rose to captain the Indian team and recently secured a government job. Her journey mirrors that of dozens of others who found direction under Sneh Lata’s guidance.

What makes this story even more compelling is the environment in which it thrives. With limited resources, training continues largely outdoors, even as construction of an indoor facility nears completion. The couple has also opened their home to players, currently housing 82 girls, creating not just athletes, but a close-knit community.

Today, with around 250 trainees, mostly girls, the academy stands as a testament to vision, persistence and belief. Sneh Lata hasn’t just coached players. She has built pathways, reshaped aspirations and quietly redefined what grassroots sport can achieve in India.