Former India table tennis coach Bhawani Mukherji passes away
Former Indian table tennis coach Bhawani Mukherji has passed away at the age of 68. He was in Chandigarh on Friday and was suffering from a stomach ailment, as he died in his residence. He is survived by his wife and son. He was the first Indian table tennis coach to win the Dronacharya Award. Here is more.
"I was saddened to learn the passing away of Bhawani da. He was a father figure for many of his wards and they will sorely miss him. I offer my heartfelt condolences to the family," said MP Singh, secretary-general of TTFI, to PTI.
As for his career, Mukherji did his schooling and graduation from Ajmer, where his father used to work as a medical practitioner. He later joined the National Institute of Sports, in the mid-1970s, from where he earned his diploma in coaching. It was then he became the head coach at NIS Patiala and also coached the national team, following the 2010 Commonwealth Games.
As he took over as the head coach of the national team, he managed players like Soumyajit Ghosh and Ankita Das, as he accompanied them to the 2012 London Olympics. Post the London Olympics, he was awarded the Dronacharya Award, the same year. Consequently, he was associated with the sport for 34 years before retiring from the Sports Authority of India (SAI).
