Athletics coach Lingappa dead

Bengaluru (PTI): Veteran athletics coach N Lingappa, a Dronacharya awardee, died here Tuesday, family sources said. He was 95 and died at his residence due to age-related issues. He was awarded the prestigious Dronacharya award in 2014 in recognition of his work as a coach.

Lingappa during an illustrious coaching career, has trained international athletes, including Ashwini Nachappa and Vandana Rao, D Y Biradhar, a former national marathon champion, Udaya Prabhu and P C Ponnappa (400m silver medallist at the Bangkok Asian Games in 1970), among others.

He was a 10km walker in his prime and qualified for the event in the Manila Asian Games in 1954, but the event was cancelled. He had also served as an assistant coach of the Indian athletic squad. Lingappa won a silver medal in 10 km walk in the first National Games held in Delhi in 1954.