Purushotham Rai passes away hours before receiving Dronacharya award

Purushotham Rai passes away hours before receiving Dronacharya award 

Such is the irony! He waited for 25 long years for the lifetime achievement Dronacharya award and just hours before the moment of reckoning, he passed away with a massive heart attack.

Purushottam Rai breathe his last on Friday evening, just 16 hours before he was to be conferred with the prestigious Dronacharya award as lifetime achievement by President Ram Nath Kovind on Saturday morning through virtual mode. 

Purushottam Rai has been a top level athletics coach for India and had trained many medal winning Asian Games and Asian Championship medallists. He was 79.

Earlier, Khel Ratna awardee wrestler Vinesh Phogat had tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday and would not be available to receive the highest sporting award during the National Sports Award Ceremony to be held virtually on Saturday (tomorrow), confirmed Vinesh's brother Rahul Phogat. Her NIC centre was in Delhi to receive the award. 

Another Arjuna awardee shuttler Satviksairaj Rankireddy will also not attend the virtual award ceremony due to testing COVID-19 positive.