Gopal Purushottam Phadke

Summary

Gopal Purushottam Phadke was an Indian sports coach from Pune, in the Indian state of Maharashtra.[1] 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.[2] 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.[1] 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.[2] He was involved with Arya Krida Dharak Mandal, an organization which promoted kho kho and other sports[3] and was a member of the advisory committees of All India Radio, Doordarshan and the selection committee of Dronacharya award.[1] 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,[4][5][6] the only coach from the sport of kho kho to receive the award.[2] A former vice president of the All India Association of Dronacharya Awardees,[7] Phadke was honoured by the Government of India in 2003 with Padma Shri, the fourth highest Indian civilian award.[8]

Gopal Purushottam Phadke
Born
Pune, Maharashtra, India
Died20 October 2009
Pune, Maharashtra, India
Resting placeVaikunth crematorium, Pune
18°30′28″N 73°50′28″E / 18.50778°N 73.84111°E / 18.50778; 73.84111
OccupationSports coach
Known forKho Kho
ChildrenTwo sons
AwardsPadma Shri
Dronacharya Award

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b c "Diligent Media Corporation". Diligent Media Corporation. 21 October 2009. Retrieved 11 February 2015.
  2. ^ a b c "DNA". DNA. 6 February 2008. Retrieved 11 February 2015.
  3. ^ "AKDM". Web India. 20 October 2009. Retrieved 11 February 2015.
  4. ^ "Press Information Bureau". Press Information Bureau, Government of India. 2001. Retrieved 11 February 2015.
  5. ^ "Khel Ratna for Gopi Chand". The Hindu. 3 August 2001. Archived from the original on 11 February 2015. Retrieved 14 June 2018.
  6. ^ "Web India". Web India. 2015. Retrieved 11 February 2015.
  7. ^ "Tribune". The Express Tribune. 29 July 2007. Retrieved 11 February 2015.
  8. ^ "Padma Awards" (PDF). Padma Awards. 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 October 2015. Retrieved 6 February 2015.