Bengaluru: Well known athletics coach Purushottam Rai (79) who had been nominated for the Dronacharya award, and was to received the same in a virtual ceremony today, died of a cardiac arrest on Friday night at around 9 PM at his Mallatahalli residence in the city.
Rai, who has trained 33 athletes who have represented India including Olympians Ashwini Nachappa, Rosakutti and GG Prameela, originally hails from Puttur in Dakshina Kannada.
Rai served in the Indian army before becoming a full-fledged coach. He completed his coaching training in 1973. He joined the sports department in 1981 and become a coach in the sports authority of India in 1987.
