Dr C Ajithkumar, renowned international athletics coach, has been honoured with the Best Grassroot Coach Award 2025 at the Sports Awards and Sports Science Conclave 2025 held in Bhubaneswar. The award recognises his exceptional contribution to Indian athletics through sustained excellence in grassroots coaching and consistent international performance outcomes.

Dr Ajithkumar was selected for this prestigious honour in recognition of his outstanding coaching record, having successfully trained 25 international athletes who together have secured 27 international medals across major global competitions. His career reflects a rare combination of talent identification, scientific training methodology, and long-term athlete development.

A defining milestone in his coaching journey came in 2023 at the World University Games, where his athlete Bhavani Yadav created history by winning India's first-ever World University Games medal in Long Jump. This achievement marked a landmark moment for Indian field events on the global university sports platform.

Continuing this legacy of international success, Dr Ajithkumar recently guided Sneha S S to an Asian-level Silver Medal, further underlining his consistent impact on elite performance across multiple generations of athletes.

Over the years, several of his trainees have emerged as prominent international medalists and national icons, including Nayana James, Ranga, Rintu Mathew, Jijin Vijayan, Rajesh, and Ali Ansari, among others. Many of these athletes have represented India with distinction at Asian, Commonwealth, World University, and other international competitions.

Dr Ajithkumar's coaching philosophy is deeply rooted in sports science, biomechanics, injury prevention, and athlete-centric planning. His approach ensures sustainable performance, peak conditioning, and long-term athletic longevity. His commitment to grassroots development has helped bridge the gap between raw talent and international success, making him one of the most influential coaching figures in Indian athletics today.

The award ceremony also celebrated excellence across Indian sport, with Animesh Kujur receiving the Best Men Athlete Award, Jyothi Yarraji being named Best Women Athlete, and Olympian Sakthi Singh honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award.

The Best Grassroot Coach Award 2025 stands as a tribute to Dr C Ajithkumar's unwavering dedication to building champions from the ground up and strengthening the foundation of Indian athletics.