Mangaluru-based skating coach Mahesh Kumar on Friday got the National Bal Kalyan Award 2013 for services rendered to children with disabilities.

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 Women and Child Development Department of Government of India, the award is given on the recommendation of the State Government.

Mr. Kumar has coached several special needs children from here and elsewhere with many of them going on to win medals in Paralympics 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 the Paralympics.

In 2011, he coached 22 children from different parts of the country for the Paralympics. Children from Mangaluru including Dhanya Rao and Royston had bagged gold medals. Children coached by him have been winning medals at national and State level on regular basis. In the recent State level event held in Mysore 18 children coached by him bagged 35 medals in all.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Mangaluru / by Special  Correspondent / Mangaluru – November 14th, 2014