In yet another good news for the sports fraternity of the state, Ranchi based certified trainer Babloo Kumar was on Thursday named as the coach for Indian wrestling team (female) for upcoming world championship to be held in Budapest, Hungary from July 19 to 25.
Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) officially sent a letter to Jharkhand State Wrestling Federation president Bholanath Singh in the evening after appointing Babloo as coach for team India. The letter to state wrestling outfit read, “Bablu Kumar of your state has been selected as coach of Indian cadet women wrestling team for participation in the 2021 world cadet free style, Greco roman style, and women wrestling championship being held at Budapest in July.”
On June 21, a tribal girl from Ranchi Chanchala Kumari scripted history by becoming the first wrestler from the state by qualifying for the world championship. 14-year-old Chanchala, who hails from from Hotwar village in Ranchi’s Ormanjhi block booked her berth in the sub-junior category (40 kg). She will be the lone player to represent country in this category. She was coached by Bablu. Her success paved way for his escalation to coach India’s women team for the upcoming prestigious tournament.
However, this will be Bablu’s fourth stint as team India coach in international circuit after getting NIS certification on 2016-17. “I was the coach for Indian boys team during u-17 world championship held in Athens in 2017. Next year, I coached women team in u-15 Asian meet in Iran and in 2019, I was again given the opportunity to coach boys team during u-15 meet in China,” he said, adding that he will put his best to ensure that Indian players excel in the forthcoming world championship.
Bablu and her protégé returned from Delhi on Wednesday. State wrestling outfit officials accorded them warm welcome at the airport. Central Coalfields Limited (CCL), which jointly runs Jharkhand State Sports Promotion Society (JSSPS) felicitated its cadet Chanchala and Bablu. On Thursday, a delegation of BJP also visited Chanchala’s house to felicitate the athlete and her family members.
