Archery coach dies in road mishap

Coach Ch. Lenin with his wards Ritul Chatterjee (left) and Ch. Jignas (right) who were part of the Indian compound team that won the silver medal in archery in the Commonwealth Games 2010. File photo: V. Raju

Indian archery coach and former Asian champion Cherukuri Lenin (26) died in a ghastly road mishap near Ibrahimpatnam early on Sunday morning.

Lenin, who was the coach of Commonwealth Games silver medallists Ch. Jignas and Ritul Chatterjee, was returning to Vijayawada from Hyderabad after attending the felicitation to the Commonwealth Games medallists organised by the State Government and the Sports Authority of Andhra Pradesh on Saturday evening.

However, Ritul, who was in the vehicle along with Volga Archery Academy chairman Cherukuri Satyanarayana, escaped unhurt.

Lenin who was driving a Scorpio without wearing the seat belt, lost control of the vehicle while trying to avoid an autorickshaw and rammed the road divider. Lenin who was thrown out of the vehicle died instantaneously owing to head injury.

Lenin, a former National and Asian champion in compound segment, was instrumental in producing more than a dozen national and international archers from Krishna district. He accompanied Indian teams to various international tournaments as coach.

Chief Minister K. Rosaiah expressed shock at the unfortunate incident and sent his condolences.

The Archery Association of India has condoled Lenin's death.

Describing Lenin as an “outstanding international archer and coach,” AAI President Vijay Kumar Malhotra expressed his deep grief on the untimely demise of the coach.