KU Hockey Academy gets international-level chief coach
The newly-established Hockey Academy at the Khalsa University (KU) has appointed Dronacharya awardee Baldev Singh as its chief coach. The hockey player was earlier associated with the Shahbad (Haryana)-based Hockey Academy, which has produced Olympians and internationallevel players. Singh has also been in the committee of experts for the 2020 Olympics preparations for India.
The new chief coach took up his position in the presence of KU’s pro-chancellor, RMS Chhina, and vice chancellor, Dr. GS Walia. Chhina said that Singh would be an asset for the new academy, which aims to promote women’s hockey at the national and international levels. Walia, meanwhile, added that they were sure the academy would flourish under Singh. “He has trained some of India’s top hockey players, includ- ing Sandeep Kaur, Ritu Rani, Rani Rampal, and Sandeep Singh,” he said, adding that they hoped that under Singh’s coaching, the students can compete in the coming Olympics. Dr. Kanwaljit Singh, director, sports, informed that apart from Baldev Singh, Amarjit Singh had been appointed as coach, and the two would make for a great team.
Baldev Singh had served as the assistant coach, coach and chief coach at various national level academies. He retired from the sports department of the Haryana government. Singh says the facilities for sports persons in Haryana are some of the best in the country, and that Punjab must follow suit.