Archive · 19 Aug 2026
Chhote Lal Yadav’s Quiet Boxing Craft Earns Dronacharya Award
Chhote Lal Yadav was a boxer who had to stop competing after a serious back and spinal injury.
He then became a boxing coach.
He teaches each boxer differently instead of giving everyone the same training plan.
He helped the famous boxer Mary Kom continue winning competitions.
He later worked with young women boxers in the Army’s programme.
Jaismine Lamboria became a world champion after he changed her strength and technical training.
Sakshi Chaudhary and Arundhati Choudhary also won Commonwealth Games gold medals.
Yadav says he wants his boxers to win two or three gold medals at the Los Angeles Olympics.
His coaching work has now earned him the prestigious Dronacharya Award.
Chhote Lal Yadav received the Dronacharya Award after a coaching career built around personalized training.
A spinal injury ended Yadav’s boxing ambitions in 2012 and led him toward coaching.
His work helped extend Mary Kom’s career, including her 2018 Asian Championships and Commonwealth Games victories.
After moving to the Army’s women’s boxing programme in 2022, Yadav helped Jaismine Lamboria become a world champion.
Sakshi Chaudhary and Arundhati Choudhary also won Commonwealth Games gold medals under the programme.
- Who
- Army coach Chhote Lal Yadav, along with boxers including Mary Kom, Jaismine Lamboria, Sakshi Chaudhary and Arundhati Choudhary.
- What
- Yadav received the Dronacharya Award for his coaching contributions in boxing.
- When
- The report was dated August 19; it states that Jaismine won her world title last year and Sakshi and Arundhati won Commonwealth Games golds earlier this month.
- Where
- Yadav’s work has included the national camp and the Army’s women’s boxing programme.
- Why
- His personalized coaching helped extend Mary Kom’s career and develop successful young boxers, including a world champion and Commonwealth Games gold medalists.
- Award
- Dronacharya Award
- Age
- 38
- Boxing career
- Yadav was part of the national setup from 2001 to 2012.
- Coaching diploma
- He completed a coaching diploma from the National Institute of Sports, Patiala, in 2014.
- Mary Kom partnership
- Yadav began helping Mary Kom in 2012 and worked with her full-time by 2017.
- Army programme
- He moved in 2022 to lead the Army’s women’s boxing programme.
- Olympic goal
- Yadav aims for his boxers to win two or three gold medals at the Los Angeles Olympics.