OP Bhardwaj: India's first Dronacharya award winner in boxing shockingly passes away

Renowned boxing coach OP Bhardwaj passed away on Friday in Delhi after fighting prolonged illness and age-related problems. Bhardwaj was India's first Dronacharya awardee coach for boxing. Notably, Bhardwaj who was 82, had shockingly lost his wife Santosh to ill-health about 10 days ago. This boxing news has shocked the Indian sports fraternity.

Boxing news: India's first Dronacharya awardee coach for boxing OP Bhardwaj passes away at 82

While speaking to PTI, TL Gupta, a close family friend of Bhardwaj and a former boxing coach said that the veteran coach had been unwell for many days with a lot of health issues and was hospitalized. He added that age was a factor and there was also the shock of losing his wife about 10 days back.

OP Bhardwaj served as India's boxing coach from 1968 to 1989. Under his coaching, Indin boxers had been on top of the medals tally in the Asian Games (1970–1986), Mini Commonwealth Games (Brisbane, 1982), Kings Cup (Bangkok, 1982) and SAF Games (Calcutta, 1987). Bhardwaj was the founder of the Boxing Coaching Department at the National Institute of Sports (NIS), Patiala, where he was chief coach from 1975 to 1988. 

Gupta further said that Bhardwaj started his career in the Army School of Physical Training in Pune and became an accomplished coach for Services. He added that in 1975, when NIS came up with the proposal for coaching diplomas, in boxing, Mr Bhardwaj was picked to start the course. Calling him an inspiration, Gupta opined that he is proud to say that he was among his first students. It is worth mentioning that the legendary coach had also taught some boxing techniques to Congress MP Rahul Gandhi for a couple of months in 2008.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar father death

Indian pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar's father, Kiran Pal Singh passed away at his Meerut residence on Thursday too, adding to the list of parents of Indian sportspersons, who were and passed away due to illness during the second wave of the virus. The Bhuvneshwar Kumar father death cause is said to be liver cancer that he was battling the same for the last eight months. He was 63 and is survived by his wife Indresh Devi and son and daughter Bhuvneshwar and Rekha respectively. According to ESPNCricinfo, Singh was first detected with the illness in September last year when Bhuvneshwar was playing for Sunrisers Hyderabad in the UAE for the IPL. 

India coronavirus cases

The India coronavirus cases count remained below 3 lakh for the fifth consecutive day with 2.59 lakh new cases recorded in a single day, according to the health ministry's updated data on Friday. Though the death toll remained over 4,000. The total COVID-19 cases have now reached the 2,60,31,991 mark. As per ministry's data, the number of people who have recovered is 2,27,12,735 (87.25%) while active cases stand at 30,27,925 (11.63%) and total Death is 2,91,331 (1.12%).