SITTING (from left): Sujata Tilak Kumar - Director, Nettakallappa Aquatic Centre, Pradeep Kumar - Dronacharya Awardee and former National head coach, KN Tilak Kumar - Chairman, Nettakallappa Aquatic Centre, and Varun Nijhawan - Nettakallappa Aquatic Centre Head. STANDING: Two-time Olympian Srihari Nataraj along with India’s other top swimmers Manavi Varma, Nina Venkatesh, Vidith S Shankar, Darshan S and NAC’s lead coach Sharath Chandra, on the opening of the Nettakallappa Swimming Competition at the NAC in Bengaluru on Saturday. Credit: DH PHOTOS/ PUSHKAR V
Benagluru: Having spent over 40 years of his life in training swimmers and helping them don India colours, former national head coach Pradeep Kumar, on Saturday, sat by the poolside at the Nettakallappa Aquatic Centre as a chief guest of the Nettakallappa Swimming Competition, reports DHNS from Bengaluru.
The Dronacharya Awardee was seen enjoying new talent compete with some of the best senior swimmers in the country with pride evident in his eyes.
Terming the SKINS races as ‘very challenging’ during the opening ceremony, Pradeep lauded NAC’s initiative to introduce the format in India and encourage medallists with cash rewards.
“Parents invest money and time to make their kids swimming champions. So such events with cash rewards is a big motivation to the swimming community,” said Pradeep.