Team India skipper Rohit Sharma's childhood coach Dinesh Lad has been awarded the Dronacharya Award in 2022 for his contribution to grooming players such as Rohit as well as Shardul Thakur among many others. He has given 26 years of his life coaching players in Mumbai and he doesn't charge a penny for any of it.
The veteran, who himself trained under legendary Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar's coach, the late Ramakant Achrekar, will be conferred the Dronacharya Award in a special ceremony hosted at Rashtrapati Bhawan in the presence of the President of India, Draupadi Murmu, on November 30.
A former Western Railways player and employee, Dinesh Lad will receive the Dronacharya Award in the lifetime category.
.
READ| Achanta Sharath Kamal to receive Khel Ratna, Lakshya Sen, Nikhat Zareen nominated for Arjuna Award; check complete list
He has given the nation plenty of greats such as Rohit, Sharul and his own son, Siddesh Lad is a Ranji trophy winner.
Lad runs his coaching academy at the Swami Vivekananda School in Borivali, Mumbai. He has not only nurtured young talent, but he also takes budding cricketers at his own shelter, if they need a place to stay
Thakur also stayed with him, since his own home was far away in Palghar. Despite all of his achievements, the veteran coach doesn't see his job as a means of making income. In an interview with Money control, Lad said, "My guru Achrekar Sir, I was with him nearly four years, he did not think commercially. He gave a lot of time to kids. That made an impact on me."
READ| IPL 2023 auction player retention show: When and Where to watch complete list of retentions for all IPL teams
"So maybe because of that, when I started coaching, I did not think I will make something (money) out of this, because I also had my job," he added.
Dinesh Lad has given the nation more than 80 Ranji-level players, and he remains firm on his morals, since he began coaching in 1995, he hasn't taken money from any disciple's parents.