Sunil Dabas is a coach of national female Kabbadi team of India. [1] Over the years, she has coached her team to win seven international gold medals, including the 2010 Asian Games and the World Cup-2012. [2] She was awarded the Dronacharya Award in 2012, and Padma Shri in 2014 by Government of India. [3]
Dabas was born and brought up in Mohammadpur Majra village in Beri tehsil, of Jhajjar district, Haryana, India. [4] After her schooling at her native village, she did her M.A. and Master of Physical Education (MPhEd), from Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak, thereafter she did her M.Phil. from Kurukshetra University, and Ph.D. in sports psychology from Agra University. [5]
She has been the coach of national female kabaddi team since 2005. Under her, the team won seven gold medals in international championships which include 2006 South Asian Games, 2nd Asian Championship in 2007, 3rd Asian Championship in 2007, 2009 South Asian Games, 2010 Asian Games, 2012 Women's Kabaddi World Cup and 4th Indoor Asian Games in 2013. [4]
She is an associate professor and the Head of the Department of Physical Education at Dronacharya Government Post-Graduate College, Gurgaon. [2]
She was awarded Dronacharya Award for excellence in sports coaching, by the Government of India, in 2012. She was the first woman coach from Haryana and the fourth in India to receive such award. [4] She was awarded Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award in India in 2014. [6] [7] She received Sports Women Achiever Award 2014 from the Government of Haryana. [8]
She has written and edited following books:
The Sports Authority of India (SAI) was set up in 1984 to carry forward the legacy of the IXth Asian Games held in New Delhi in 1982 under the Department of Sports. SAl has been entrusted with the twin objectives of promoting sports and achieving sporting excellence at the national and international level. SAI, an autonomous body under the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India, is the Apex National Sports Body of India, for the development of sport in India. SAI has 2 Sports Academies, 12 "SAI Regional Centres" (SRC), 23 "National Centres of Excellence" (NCOE/NCOX), 67 "Sports Training Centres" (STC), 30 Extension Centres of STC and 69 National Sports Talent Content Scheme (NSTC). In addition, SAI also manages Netaji Subhash High Altitude Training Centre, as well as 5 stadiums in New Delhi, such as Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Indira Gandhi Arena, Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium, SPM Swimming Pool Complex and Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Range.
Devendra Jhajharia is an Indian Paralympic javelin thrower competing in F46 events. He is the first Indian Paralympics player to win two gold medals at the Paralympics. He won his first gold in the javelin throw at the 2004 Summer Paralympics in Athens, becoming the second gold medalist at the Paralympics for his country. At the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, he won a second gold medal in the same event, bettering his previous record. Devendra is currently being supported by the Olympic Gold Quest. He becomes India's most decorated Paralympic player by winning his third medal, a silver at the 2020 Summer Paralympics at Tokyo. In 2024, he was elected president of the Paralympic Committee of India.
Krishna Poonia is an international gold-medalist Indian discus thrower, track-and-field athlete, 2 times Olympics participant, Padma Shri and Arjuna Award recipient, politician from the Congress party and the former MLA from Sadulpur constituency in Rajasthan. She participated in 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games. In 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games, she won a gold medal. She was appointed the President Of the Rajasthan State Sports Council in February 2022.
India has a history of sports dating back to the Vedic period, with Western sports having been imported during British rule. Cricket is the most popular spectator sport; it generates the highest television viewership, with the Indian Premier League (IPL) being the most-followed league in the country. Football has also gained popularity, with the Indian Super League (ISL) being the highest level of domestic football, and the national team winning multiple gold medals at the Asian and South Asian Games. Additional football accomplishments include India having reached the Groupstage of the 1960 Olympics, qualified for the 1950 FIFA World Cup, and won the SAFF Championship. Other sports include kabaddi, badminton, tennis, and athletics, with kho-kho becoming the fourth-most viewed sport. India has also had success in field hockey, winning the World Cup and multiple medals in the Olympic Games. Sports such as golf, rugby, boxing, kickboxing, mixed martial arts, motorsport, wrestling, and basketball are featured throughout the country.
Satpal Singh, also known as Guru Satpal, is a wrestling coach and former wrestler of India. He was a gold medalist in 1982 Asian Games and a bronze medalist in 1974 Asian Games. Today he is better known as the coach of Olympic medal winners Sushil Kumar and Ravi Kumar Dahiya.
Sardara Singh, sometimes referred as Sardar Singh, is an Indian field hockey coach and former field hockey player. He also served as the captain of the Indian national team. He usually plays the center half position. Sardara became the youngest player to captain the Indian team when he led the side at the 2008 Sultan Azlan Shah Cup. He was awarded Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award of India, in 2015. On 13 July 2016, the responsibilities of the captain were handed over from him to P. R. Sreejesh, the goalkeeper of Indian Team. On 12 September 2018, Sardara announced his retirement from international hockey. He played 314 matches during 12 years in his career.
Bahadur Singh Chauhan, born on 8 February 1946 in a Sikh Rajput family is a former Indian shot putter. Between 1973 and 1985 he won three gold, two silver and three bronze medals at the Asian Games and Championships. He placed 15th at the 1980 Summer Olympics, and was honoured with Arjuna award and Padma Shri. He is a recipient of Dronacharya Award, by the government of India. He worked as the head coach of India's athletics team before retiring in 2020
Rani Rampal, known mononymously as Rani, is an Indian field hockey player and coach. At the age of 15, she was the youngest player in the national team which participated in the 2010 World Cup. She has completed her schooling but was not able to get the graduate degree due to practice sessions and matches which were lined up. She plays forward on her team. She has played 212 international matches and scored 134 goals. She is currently the Captain for Indian Women's Hockey Team. She is also well known as a striker who often doubles up as mid-fielder. She has a great fascination with CWG. In 2020, the Government of India honoured her with the Padma Shri.
Sangram Singh is an Indian wrestler, actor, and motivational speaker.
Purnima Mahato is an Indian archer and archery coach from Jamshedpur, India. She has won the Indian national archery championships. She was a coach for the Indian national team at the 2008 Summer Olympics and was selected to coach the team at the 2012 Summer Olympics. She was awarded Dronacharya award from President of India for 2013 on 29 August 2013. She was conferred with the Padma Shri 2024, India's fourth highest civilian award, for her work in the field of Sports.
Sports in Andhra Pradesh has its own importance, where many sporting personalities were into limelight. The Sports Authority of Andhra Pradesh (SAAP) undertakes the sports development activities such as construction of stadiums, establishment of sports academies and other sporting related activities. The sports infrastructure have increased tremendously by improving infrastructure in outdoor and Indoor stadiums, play fields, sports academies, sports equipments etc. Traditional sports such as kho kho, kabaddi are played mostly in Andhra Pradesh.Most sports players from Andhra pradesh represent national level competitions and very few international competitions.
Sakshi Malik is a former Indian freestyle wrestler. At the 2016 Summer Olympics, she won the bronze medal in the 58 kg category, becoming the first Indian female wrestler to win a medal at the Olympics. In 2017, the Government of India honoured her with the Padma Shri, the country's fourth-highest civilian award and in 2024, she became the first Indian wrestler to feature in Time magazine's list of the 100 most influential people in the world. She is a part of the JSW Sports Excellence Program, along with fellow female wrestlers Vinesh Phogat, Babita Kumari and Geeta Phogat.
Dipa Karmakar is an Indian former artistic gymnast. She is the first Indian female gymnast to compete at the Olympic Games. At the 2016 Olympics, in the vault event, she missed a medal by just 0.15 points. Karmakar is one of only five women in the world to have mastered the Produnova vault. In 2024, she announced her retirement from gymnastics.
Gopal Purushottam Phadke was an Indian sports coach from Pune, in the Indian state of Maharashtra. He was a specialist coach of kho kho, a sports of Indian origin as well as of other sports disciplines such as swimming, Mallakhamb and Kabbaddi. After securing a diploma in engineering, he worked at the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC), but left the company to take up sports coaching as a full-time job. He was reported to have provided coaching to physically handicapped children in swimming using a custom built tank constructed at his own expense and is credited with efforts in popularising the sport in other countries such as Australia. He was involved with Arya Krida Dharak Mandal, an organization which promoted kho kho and other sports and was a member of the advisory committees of All India Radio, Doordarshan and the selection committee of Dronacharya award. He died on 20 October 2009 at his residence in Pune, succumbing to liver cirrhosis. He received the Dronacharya Award, the highest Indian award for sports coaching, in 2000, the only coach from the sport of kho kho to receive the award. A former vice president of the All India Association of Dronacharya Awardees, Phadke was honoured by the Government of India in 2003 with Padma Shri, the fourth highest Indian civilian award.
Mahavir Singh Phogat is an Indian amateur wrestler, senior Olympics coach and politician. He is the trainer and father of the Phogat sisters. The Hindi biographical film Dangal is loosely based on his life.
Ramesh Kumar is an Indian professional Kabaddi player. He was part of the teams which won gold medal at 2002 Asian Games, 2006 Asian Games, and the 2004 Kabaddi World Cup. In 2005, government of India conferred Arjuna Award on him for his achievements in the sport.
Shri Gaurav Khanna is an Indian para-badminton team's head coach. Khanna has been widely recognized as the man behind the rise of para-badminton in the country. Khanna encountered several trials and tribulations during his youth and early life, but his desire propelled him onward, and despite all obstacles, he emerged as a selfless individual driven to make a positive difference in the lives of others. His chronicle of battles that led to him becoming a role model for society is also included in the National Geographic documentary series #One For Change and Samarth Series by Hundai in association with NDTV.
Ashan Kumar Sangwan is a former Indian professional Kabaddi player and Coach of Tamil Thalaivas. Kumar was the Indian captain of the first Asian Games gold medal-winning team.in recognition of his achievements in the sport, he was awarded the Arjuna Award by the Government of India and Dronacharya Award in 2021. Presently he is the coach of the Indian Kabaddi team.