2 min readNew DelhiAug 25, 2012 12:08 AM IST
First published on: Aug 25, 2012 at 12:08 AM IST
Satpal Singh of Acharya Narendra Dev College became the first teacher from Delhi University and the youngest recipient of the prestigious Dronacharya Award in para-athletics this year.
The 33-year-old assistant professor of physical education was selected for the award,given by the Union government for excellence in sports coaching,for his long association with physically-disabled athletes who have done the country proud in various international competitions.
The Sports Authority of India appointed him the official coach for para-athletic competitions in 2007. Since then,his wards had won several accolades.
He was the athletics coach at the 2010 Asian Para Games in Guangzhou,China,where India won one gold and four silver medals. At the International Blind Sports Federation World Championship in Turkey last year,the team won one silver and four bronze medals.
Singh also has the distinction of coaching two Arjuna awardees — Jagseet Singh and Ram Karan Singh — in 2010.
“I met him in 2009 at a tournament in Rajasthan. The coaches that I had before him would hardly pay attention to persons with disabilities. They probably did not believe that a blind sportsperson could achieve any recognition. However,Singh was different. He would encourage us to compete with normal athletes. Irrespective of whether an athlete is blind or not,all of us would train together,” Ram Karan said.
“Moreover,he would inspire us with stories about his life and the difficulties he had to face as a sportsperson,” he said.
Singh,who has a PhD in physical education,joined Acharya Narendra Dev College in 2007.
Elaborating the training methods for the disabled,he said: “Special sports equipment are needed. The methods adopted for them vary significantly,depending on the nature of a person’s disability. For around two years,I studied and prepared myself to train these special sportspersons. I am grateful to the college for supporting me.”
College principal Savithri Singh said: “His devotion,in terms of the amount of time he spends with students with disabilities,and his efforts in promoting sports is commendable.”
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