Bhilai man takes basketball to new heights

RAIPUR: Veteran basketball coach Rajesh Patel, whose 22-year stint propelled Chhattisgarh women basketball team to the national level, has set a unique record with his team winning 101 medals, including 68 golds.
Under Patel's guidance, the women basketball team of Chhattisgarh has won 68 golds, 14 silvers and 19 bronze medals in various tournaments, including national level championships. His extraordinary effort helped the women basketball team create a record of winning all tournaments held during the last calendar year.
The success of state basketball team has also impressed Bollywood with former Miss Universe and actor Lara Dutta announcing a movie based on its heroics.
Hailing from the steel city of Bhilai, Patel devoted his entire life in imparting training to the girls who wanted to make a cut in basketball career. Since 1995, he has been continuously working on sub-junior category players and participated in 20 national sub-junior championships.
Seven woman players, coached by him, went on to become captains of the national team. Similarly, two man players led the national team. Besides, 100 players got the opportunity to perform at national level.
Patel made it into the Limca Book of Records in 2015 as the most successful coach. He has been bestowed with several honours including Vikram Award in 1984, Vishwamita Award in 2000, Steel Authority of India Best Coach Award (six times), Pt Nehru Award (twice), Veer Hanumaan Award in 2008, Rashtriya Gaurav Samman in 2009 and FICCI Global Award for Sports in 2010.
"I feel privileged to have coached a basketball team which has won 101 medals. Basketball is a team game and if a single player does not perform well, the entire team has to pay for it," Patel told TOI.
"It is not easy to win 68 gold medals and even silver and bronze medals require a lot of efforts," he said, adding that his dream was to remain consistent so that he could prepare more national level players.
Chief minister Raman Singh has congratulated Patel for his consistent efforts in identifying talented players and honing their skills so that they can bring laurels both for the state and the country.