A springboard for talented athletesCoach hones skills of amateur runners
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Athletes practice at the Bhonsala Military School ground in Nashik. (Below) Coach Vijendra Singh. Mrityunjay Bose
Talented sportspersons are picked up from district meets and adivasi areas
It’s all about one city, one mission, one ground, one coach – and the success story follows. The historic “temple town” of Nashik, also known as the “wine capital”, is slowly getting transformed into a city of champion middle and long distance runners.
“We are very clear. It’s all about one city, one mission, one ground and one coach,” said Vijendra Singh, a coach with the Sports Authority of India (SAI), who made Nashik his home since early 90s and has transformed beginners into champions – and over a dozen of them have made their mark in the international arena. “As we speak, we have around nine athletes trained by me, on the ground, running or practising for various championships,” smiles Singh, who is in his early 50s.
Every morning and evening, Singh is present at Bhonsala Military School ground in Nashik, where he trains local boys and girls.
He can boast of giving Kavita Raut, Monika Atre, Sanjeevani Jadhav, Anjana Thamke and Durga Deore and Kishan Tadvi, Dutta Borse, Suresh Wagh and Kantilal Kumbhar to the country.
Efforts of Singh started getting recognition from the time Raut won the bronze medal in 10,000 m at the 2010 Commonwealth Games, the first individual track medal by an Indian woman athlete at the Commonwealth Games and later she also won the silver medal in 10,000 m race at the 2010 Asian Games.
It was the first individual medal won by an Indian woman at the CWG. The last one was the gold by legendary Milkha Singh in 1958. “Raut, like several other girls, is trained by Singh and is from a poor tribal family,” adds S N Kale, who assists Singh in training sportspersons.
Raut, called Savarpada Express, stayed with the Singh family in Nashik like his daughter before she made the mark in the international circuit. Raut hails from Savarpada village in Harsul taluka on the outskirts of Nashik. “I do the selection and training in a unscientific way,” says Singh. He is, however, quick to add: “Not that I am saying that the scientific methods are wrong, but I prefer the unscientific way.”
He said that he keenly watches the district championships and other events and spot talents–and even personally goes to adivasi areas like Surguna, Trimbek and Kalvan. “I get children in the age group
between 12 and 16 and then the training starts… it is not just about a runner, who is practising daily and winning the first prize, but I spot talent, who may be the third runner up, but in two years may be able to become the state champion,” he said.
“It is talent hunt and search combined,” the coach told Deccan Herald even as he continued to keep a close watch the athletes on the track. “In 1988, SAI had adopted four institutions in Maharashtra, only Nashik remains operational,” he said. District Sports Officer, the Nashik District Athletics Association, doctors, cardiologists and gynecologists have joined Singh in his mission. “The corporate world, too, has chipped in,” he said. Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd is among those supporting the initiatives of Singh.
“Now, I have knowledge of what has to be done…
I have honed the skills of amateurs and turned them into champions,” he said. “Today, we have boys and girls from Nashik participating in each and every marathon of India,” the coach said.
Children are selected mainly from the tribal areas and put in hostels and boarding schools in Nashik and their education is taken care of. “We have to recognise the spark… that is more important, performance would come in the days to come,” he said. “Most of them come from poor families,” he said.
As Singh walks on the ground, Kishan Tadwi comes and touches his feet and seeks his blessings. The coach asks: “How many rounds? How was the morning schedule?” and so on. “It is sir who has transformed all of us… he takes care of each and every need,” he said. “We have started from scratch and he has made us what we are today,” he said.
Kishan’s biggest moment so far is his silver medal he won at the 2014 Youth Olympics Asian Area Athletics in China. He had also grabbed a Silver in 2014 qualifiers for Asian Games held in Thailand. He pocketed a gold at 2014 National Youth Athletic Championship.
As Kishan leaves, Durga Deore comes up to Singh and shares the problem of the pain that she has been experiencing on her right leg. The coach fixes an appointment with a doctor for the girl. “When I started, I knew nothing, but sir has changed my life,” she said.
Like Arjuna awardee Raut, the coach had spotted Thamke in a competition and inducted her into his ground. The 15-year-old runner has already notched up national records in the 400 m, 800 m and 1500 m categories of the under-17 section–and was adjudged “Best Athlete” in the National Junior Athletics Championship, 2012, under the U-16 category.
Speaking about another athlete, Sanjeevani Jadhav, the coach said: “She would dominate track in the days to come… she has a very bright future. Last year, at the 15th All India Junior Championship she created a new record in the 3,000 M race. Durga won Gold at the 29th National Youth Athletics Championship, 2013 and Silver at the 25th National Inter-Zone Athletics Championship, 2013.
It’s all about one city, one mission, one ground, one coach – and the success story follows. The historic “temple town” of Nashik, also known as the “wine capital”, is slowly getting transformed into a city of champion middle and long distance runners.
“We are very clear. It’s all about one city, one mission, one ground and one coach,” said Vijendra Singh, a coach with the Sports Authority of India (SAI), who made Nashik his home since early 90s and has transformed beginners into champions – and over a dozen of them have made their mark in the international arena. “As we speak, we have around nine athletes trained by me, on the ground, running or practising for various championships,” smiles Singh, who is in his early 50s.
Every morning and evening, Singh is present at Bhonsala Military School ground in Nashik, where he trains local boys and girls.
He can boast of giving Kavita Raut, Monika Atre, Sanjeevani Jadhav, Anjana Thamke and Durga Deore and Kishan Tadvi, Dutta Borse, Suresh Wagh and Kantilal Kumbhar to the country.
Efforts of Singh started getting recognition from the time Raut won the bronze medal in 10,000 m at the 2010 Commonwealth Games, the first individual track medal by an Indian woman athlete at the Commonwealth Games and later she also won the silver medal in 10,000 m race at the 2010 Asian Games.
It was the first individual medal won by an Indian woman at the CWG. The last one was the gold by legendary Milkha Singh in 1958. “Raut, like several other girls, is trained by Singh and is from a poor tribal family,” adds S N Kale, who assists Singh in training sportspersons.
Raut, called Savarpada Express, stayed with the Singh family in Nashik like his daughter before she made the mark in the international circuit. Raut hails from Savarpada village in Harsul taluka on the outskirts of Nashik. “I do the selection and training in a unscientific way,” says Singh. He is, however, quick to add: “Not that I am saying that the scientific methods are wrong, but I prefer the unscientific way.”
He said that he keenly watches the district championships and other events and spot talents–and even personally goes to adivasi areas like Surguna, Trimbek and Kalvan. “I get children in the age group
between 12 and 16 and then the training starts… it is not just about a runner, who is practising daily and winning the first prize, but I spot talent, who may be the third runner up, but in two years may be able to become the state champion,” he said.
“It is talent hunt and search combined,” the coach told Deccan Herald even as he continued to keep a close watch the athletes on the track. “In 1988, SAI had adopted four institutions in Maharashtra, only Nashik remains operational,” he said. District Sports Officer, the Nashik District Athletics Association, doctors, cardiologists and gynecologists have joined Singh in his mission. “The corporate world, too, has chipped in,” he said. Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd is among those supporting the initiatives of Singh.
“Now, I have knowledge of what has to be done…
I have honed the skills of amateurs and turned them into champions,” he said. “Today, we have boys and girls from Nashik participating in each and every marathon of India,” the coach said.
Children are selected mainly from the tribal areas and put in hostels and boarding schools in Nashik and their education is taken care of. “We have to recognise the spark… that is more important, performance would come in the days to come,” he said. “Most of them come from poor families,” he said.
As Singh walks on the ground, Kishan Tadwi comes and touches his feet and seeks his blessings. The coach asks: “How many rounds? How was the morning schedule?” and so on. “It is sir who has transformed all of us… he takes care of each and every need,” he said. “We have started from scratch and he has made us what we are today,” he said.
Kishan’s biggest moment so far is his silver medal he won at the 2014 Youth Olympics Asian Area Athletics in China. He had also grabbed a Silver in 2014 qualifiers for Asian Games held in Thailand. He pocketed a gold at 2014 National Youth Athletic Championship.
As Kishan leaves, Durga Deore comes up to Singh and shares the problem of the pain that she has been experiencing on her right leg. The coach fixes an appointment with a doctor for the girl. “When I started, I knew nothing, but sir has changed my life,” she said.
Like Arjuna awardee Raut, the coach had spotted Thamke in a competition and inducted her into his ground. The 15-year-old runner has already notched up national records in the 400 m, 800 m and 1500 m categories of the under-17 section–and was adjudged “Best Athlete” in the National Junior Athletics Championship, 2012, under the U-16 category.
Speaking about another athlete, Sanjeevani Jadhav, the coach said: “She would dominate track in the days to come… she has a very bright future. Last year, at the 15th All India Junior Championship she created a new record in the 3,000 M race. Durga won Gold at the 29th National Youth Athletics Championship, 2013 and Silver at the 25th National Inter-Zone Athletics Championship, 2013.