by Suman Gupta
Pune, May 2018: Pune’s favourite Kabaddi team, Puneri Paltan has signed their new coach,Ashan Kumar, for the upcoming Season 6 of the Pro Kabaddi League.
Ashan Kumar is an established Kabaddi player and a coach. His career as a player has also been a glorified one. Ashan Kumar was a former services Kabaddi coach and has worked closely with Nashik Army sports unit. He is also a Grade A diploma holder in Kabaddi coaching from National Institute of Sports.
As a player, he had his stints with the national team representing India at international tournaments as a captain. He has captained the ever-solid Indian Kabaddi side to Gold during Beijing XIth Asian Games, 2nd, 4th and 6th South Asian Games and Jaipur 2nd Asian Kabaddi Championship, to name a few tournaments.
Ashan Kumar was the coach of the Haryana team in the 64th Kabaddi Senior Nationals where Haryana reached the semi-finals of the tournament. He was bestowed with the esteemed Arjuna Award in 1999 by the President of India, Bhim Award in 1994 by Haryana Governor and Bharat Gaurav Award in 1993 by the AKFI President.
Speaking on the appointment of the new coach, Kailash Kandpal, CEO of Puneri Paltan said, “We are looking at building a dynamic squad and wanted a coach who has got varied experience across teams. Ashan Kumar, appointed as a coach for season 6, has worked with international and national teams. With a proven track record with these teams, he is excited and eager to prove himself in PKL format. We are banking on his experience and strategic inputs to help us clinch the title this season.”
Speaking on the occasion Ashan Kumar said, “I am very delighted to be a part of Puneri Paltan which has been inching higher and higher, season after season, and I intend to enhance the performance of the team in the upcoming season of PKL.”
