All-round praise for Dronacharya Ramesh

Hyderabad: Deputy Chief Minister Kadiyam Srihari on Saturday, while lamenting that most State Governments and the Centre were yet to come out with a definitive sports policy, reiterated that the government Telangana State was readying one in its quest to give sportspersons their due share of recognition and rewards.

The policy will go a long way in improving the standards by way of quality coaches, physical directors and ultra-modern infrastructure support. Sports will be part of the curriculum till Intermediate,’ he said.Srihari was speaking after the latest Dronacharya (Athletics) Nagapuri Ramesh was felicitated at a grand function got up by Telangana Athletics Welfare Society (TAWS) at LB Indoor Stadium.

The function was graced by A Dinakar Babu, Vice-Chancellor and Managing Director of Sports Authority of Telangana State (SATS), Papa Rao, Advisor to Chief Minister, Prof K Ranga Rao, President, Telangana Olympics Association and badminton Dronacharya Pullela Gopichand.Every speaker showered lavish praises on Ramesh, while describing him as a passionate coach, who strived to produce the best of athletes.

The sentiment was best reflected by Gopichand, who contended “Ramesh should have got this award 16 years back. I feel blessed that I was part of his fruitful journey. I have always believed that a player is good for his generation while a coach of the caliber of Ramesh produce ten generations of athletes.”

Speaking about own rise, Gopichand said “I was able to reach the top echelons, thanks to the committed moulding by gurus like SM Arif and Ganguly Prasad.” In a touching thanksgiving speech, Ramesh was humble in his hour of glory.

I was lucky that I had athletes like Satti Geeta, P Shankar, Manjeet Kaur, Kalpana Reddy, Sowjanya, Mrudula and many others, around the same time. I wish to take this opportunity to appeal to the government to reward junior and State and national level achievers as it can come as the most potent inspirations.”

As a man who has doubled up as a physio, he said, “I enjoyed working with N Mukesh Kumar, VVS Laxman, MSK Prasad, Sania Mirza and Gopichand.”International athlete P Shankar, spoke for hundreds of fellow-protégés when he saluted his guru, whatever I am today is because of Ramesh sir. I was from a small thanda near Shadnagar. He encouraged me, which helped me achieve whatever I did.”