Mangaluru-based skating coach Mahesh Kumar on Friday got the national Bal Kalyan award for 2013 for his services rendered to special children.
Mr. Kumar received the award from President Pranab Mukherjee in New Delhi on Friday. The award consists of certificate and cash Rs. 1 lakh.
Instituted by the Ministry of Women and Child Development, Government of India, the award is given based on the recommendation of the State government.
Mr. Kumar has coached several special children, with many of them going on to win medals in Special Olympics in the last 12 years. Mr. Kumar told The Hindu from New Delhi that in 2003 seven children coached by him had taken part in Special Olympics. In 2011, he coached 22 children from different parts of the country for Special Olympics. Dhanya Rao and Royston, children from Mangaluru, had bagged gold medals in the Special Olympics.
