Three seasoned coaches across various physical disciplines were honoured with the Padma Shri awards—India’s fourth-highest civilian award in 2023.
The President of India had approved the conferment of 106 Padma Awards, among which three were awarded to sports persons. Here’s a look at their profiles:
1. Gurcharan Singh
For mentoring cricket players from Delhi and India, Indian cricket coach Gurcharan Singh received the Padma Shri, one of the highest civilian honours in India. Gurcharan, 87, is renowned for having produced 12 international cricketers and over a hundred domestic players. From Kirti Azad to Ajay Jadeja, Maninder Singh to the more recent Murali Karthik, Gurcharan Singh played an important role in grooming these cricketers.Gurcharan’s playing career, however, was limited to first class cricket. In addition, after Desh Prem Azad, he was the second cricket coach in the nation to receive the coveted Dronacharya Award back in 1986.
In 2015, cricketers from India and Delhi came together to play a T20 exhibition game Delhi in order to mark his 80th birth anniversary.In addition to running two cricket teams, Delhi Blues and National Stadium Cricket Centre, Singh founded the Dronacharya Cricket Foundation in Delhi. Earlier this year, in a friendly match between the Delhi Veterans cricket team and the Old Patelians Cricket Association, Gurcharan entered the field to bat for the Patelians.
2. K Shanathoiba Sharma
Thang-Ta, the native martial art of Manipur also known as the “Art of the Sword and Spear,” is taught by K Sanathoiba Sharma, a Sangeet Natak Akademi award winner. It mixes a range of external weapons—the sword, spear, dagger, etc.—with the internal practise of physical control through subtle motions synchronised with the rhythms of breathing. It is a part of Manipur’s long history of bravery. Sharma believes Thang-ta to be the cornerstone of Manipuri society since before it had a weapon to protect its land from intruders.
3. S R D Prasad
