In the vast landscape of Indian sports, certain names echo not from stadium announcements but from the lives they have transformed. Dr. C. Ajithkumar is one such name — a quiet but determined figure whose decades of service have shaped champions, empowered rural athletes, and redefined the role of coaching in Indian athletics.
A native of Thrickodithanam, Kottayam (Kerala), Dr. Ajithkumar began his journey not as a coach but as a sprinter of great promise. From 1987 to 1992, he was a decorated 100m and 200m athlete, representing SB College, Changanacherry and Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam at national and university levels. His medals in Junior Nationals and All India University Championships reflected not only speed but also a discipline that would later define his coaching philosophy.
Following his academic pursuits, he transitioned into sports coaching with a vision: to identify raw talent, especially from underrepresented communities, and nurture them into world-class athletes. Over a career spanning 25 years, he has worked with leading institutions such as:
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Alva’s Education Foundation (Karnataka) – where he laid the foundation for one of the most productive university-level athletics programs in India
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Mangalore University – where he served as Athletics Coach for nearly a decade, producing multiple national medalists
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Indira Gandhi Technological and Medical Sciences University (Arunachal Pradesh) – where he introduced high-performance coaching in remote Northeast India
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Shaheed Bhagat Singh University (Punjab) – where he is currently the Director of Sports
His coaching has borne incredible fruit. To date, 18 of his trainees have competed internationally, collectively winning 22 medals. One of the most significant moments in his career came in 2023, when his athlete Bhavani Yadav Bhagavathi became the first Indian long jumper to win a medal at the World University Games, held in Chengdu, China. As Chief Coach of the Indian university team, Dr. Ajithkumar’s leadership was instrumental in this historic achievement.
He has also served in several prestigious coaching assignments, including:
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Indian Team Coach, Asian Athletics Championships, Bhubaneswar (2017)
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Chief Coach, World Police Games, China (2019)
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Kerala State Athletic Coach (2011, 2015)
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Chief Coach, SSB (Central Police Force), New Delhi (2018–2020)
His contribution to the sports ecosystem has been recognized through multiple honors:
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Best Coach Award, Indian Universities (2023)
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Best Coach, Sports Science India (2024)
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Amaruthavani Media Excellence Award, Karnataka (2023)
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SSB Central Force Best Coach Award (2019)
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Kerala State Athletics Association Award (2017)
Despite these accolades, Dr. Ajithkumar has remained outside the mainstream spotlight — a reflection of the systemic neglect toward grassroots mentors who work without noise or fanfare. Yet, his impact is undeniable. Through HRDS India Sports Academy, he currently leads a movement to discover and train tribal athletes across India, giving them access to professional training, education, and opportunity.
In December 2023, Dr. Ajithkumar was invited to Rashtrapati Bhavan with the Indian university athletics contingent — a rare moment of visibility at the national level. But for him, recognition has never been the goal. “My mission,” he says, “is to find talent where no one is looking, and give them a stage the world cannot ignore.”
In an age where sports excellence is increasingly celebrated, it is time we honor not just the athletes, but the architects behind their rise. Dr. C. Ajithkumar’s story is not just one of dedication — it is a blueprint for national sporting success.
