Hockey Coach Sandeep Sangwan Moves Delhi High Court Over Dronacharya Award Snub

Hockey coach Sandeep Sangwan on Tuesday urged Delhi High Court to issue direction to the government to consider him for the Dronacharya Award (Regular Category) for the year 2021 for his performance as a coach. Justice Rekha Palli asked Additional Solicitor General Chetan Sharma, representing the Centre, to take instruction on Sandeep Sangwan's plea and listed the matter for further hearing on November 12.

Senior Advocate Rahul Mehra, who appeared for Sangwan, told the court that the petitioner is a highly qualified and highly experienced hockey coach.

Sangwan in his plea has challenged the decision of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports on November 2 to not select his name for the Dronacharya Award.

In his petition, Sangwan, filed through advocate R Arunadhri Iyer urged the Delhi High Court to issue direction to the government to additionally confer the Dronacharya Award (Regular Category) for the year 2021 to the Petitioner for his performance as a coach based on merit as per the points system introduced in compliance with the orders of this Court in the peculiar facts and circumstances of the present matter.

According to the petition, Sangwan has trained four of the members of the team that won the bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics 2020, apart from numerous other Olympians. Members are awardees of Padma Shri, Arjuna Award and Khel Ratna Award.

Being a coach for over fifteen years, the petitioner has also functioned as a manager on multiple occasions for the national men's team along with the coach.

The petitioner sought to issue direction to the Centre to lay down a proper time schedule for the declaration of the Dronacharya Award and other Sports Awards in future, viz., by the end of May of every year, so as to provide reasonable time and opportunity to elite sportspersons in this regard.