SDAT appoints Hangzhou games gold medallist Harinder as elite coach
Harinder’s responsibilities include scouting new talent from the state and accompanying the team to tournaments across the country.
Harinder Pal Singh Sandhu
CHENNAI: Harinder Pal Singh Sandhu, the double gold medallist at the Hangzhou Asian Games and recipient of the Arjuna Award, has been appointed as an Elite coach by the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu (SDAT) for squash in the state.
“I’m familiar with the coaching role because I was assisting the senior team during my injury in 2019. I also hold a level 1 and 2 WSF coaching certificate, which provided me with a better understanding of coaching and talent identification at the grassroots level,” Harinder said during a media interaction at the Khelo India Youth Games in Chennai, discussing the new coaching challenge he has undertaken.
Harinder’s responsibilities include scouting new talent from the state and accompanying the team to tournaments across the country. With squash being introduced for the first time in the Khelo India Games and included in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, Harinder said, “Squash in the country has never been in a better position. With the sport’s inclusion at the LA Olympics, it is the opportune moment to identify new talent and aid established players in further enhancing their game.”
Chennai, the city where Harinder is based, is also home to Velavan Senthilkumar and Abhay Singh, recent podium finishers at the HCL Squash Nationals. When asked if he would mentor senior players from the state, Harinder said, “If I get a chance to travel with the senior players and if I’m not playing at the time, I’ll definitely work with them. Currently, my primary responsibility is the juniors here in the state and how I can help them improve.”
Harinder has been awarded a one-year contract by the SDAT, discussing the potential pressure of balancing both playing and coaching, he said, “I actually feel relieved because other sportsmen go back to their regular jobs after a tournament. I’m thankful to SDAT, TNSRF, SRFI; they believed in me, and I consider myself fortunate that after my tournaments, I’ll still be involved in squash by coaching youngsters.”