Delhi HC notice to Centre on hockey coach Sandeep Sangwan's plea for Dronacharya Award

Delhi High Court on Friday issued a notice to the Centre on Hockey Coach Sandeep Sangwan's plea seeking to issue direction to the government to consider him for the Dronacharya Award (Regular Category) for the year 2021.

Justice Rekha Palli has asked Centre and others to file a reply and listed the matter for further hearing on December 23.

Senior Advocate Rahul Mehra, who appeared for Sangwan, told the Court that the petitioner is a highly qualified and experienced hockey coach.

Sangwan in his plea has challenged the decision of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports dated November 2, 2021 of not selecting his name for the Dronacharya Award (Regular Category) for the year 2021.

Sangwan, in his petition filed through advocate R Arunadhri Iyer, urged the Delhi HC to issue direction to the government to additionally confer the Dronacharya Award (Regular Category) for the year 2021 for his performance as a coach based on merit as per the points system introduced in compliance with the orders of the Court.

According to the petition, Sangwan has trained four of the members of the team that obtained the bronze medal in the Tokyo Olympics, 2020, apart from numerous other Olympians, as well as Padma Shri and Arjuna awardees, as well as a Khel Ratna awardee. Having been a coach for over fifteen years, the petitioner has also functioned as a coach and a manager on multiple occasions for the national men's team.

The petitioner sought direction to the Centre to lay down a proper time schedule for the declaration of the Dronacharya Award and other Sports Awards in future, viz., by the end of May of every year so as to provide reasonable time and opportunity to elite sportspersons in this regard.

The petitioner has sought direction to the government to publish all records, including but not limited to minutes of meetings, a comparative tabular chart containing points of all sportspersons, etc., under the Scheme on its official website within seven working days of the Recommendations being placed by the Selection Committee.

( With inputs from ANI )

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