Former shuttler Uday Pawar was named the 'Best Grassroots Coach' at the 2022 Sportstar Aces Awards at the Taj Mahal Hotel in Mumbai on Saturday.
After a long career of 23 years in competitive badminton, Pawar turned to coaching and produced many players who went on to become national champions and won major international events for the country.
"It is especially an honour as all the judges are those I have respected and admired. To be selected by them makes it really special. Thank all my friends who supported me and my academy who have supported me in my coaching for the last 30 years," Pawar said after receiving the award.
He started coaching in 1992 with basic facilities at the Andheri Complex in Mumbai. The Uday Pawar Badminton Academy was set up in the year 2000 at Goregaon Sports Club in Mumbai which has six world-class badminton courts along with other facilities like a gym, running track and swimming pool.
During his nine-year stint as senior national coach, Pawar helped the Indian team win two silver and two bronze medals at the Commonwealth Games and was also the coach of the national men's team which qualified for the final rounds of the Thomas Cup twice.
Pawar has also personally coached Arjuna awardee Chirag Shetty, who is currently ranked eighth in the BWF World Rankings for men's doubles and featured at the Tokyo Olympics last year.
Legendary India cricketer Sunil Gavaskar, former India hockey captain M. M. Somaya, chess great Viswanathan Anand, former India football skipper Bhaichung Bhutia and Olympians Anjali Bhagwat and Aparna Popat are the members of the Sportstar Aces 2022 jury.
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