Steel city’s veteran archery coach Harendra Singh has been nominated as a member of Talent Identification Zonal Committee for East Zone (archery) for the Khelo India identification programme, an initiative of the ministry of youth affairs and sports.

An international coach, Singh is in the archery circuit for over a decade now and has played an active role in the development of the game.

His role as a member of Talent Identification Zonal Committee will include identification of grassroots talent by using the appropriate method in non-competitive events, to ensure the database is updated and create a ranking of athletes and any other responsibilities related to the game.

The states covered under East Zone include Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh and Odisha.

Expressing happiness, Singh said he was looking forward to the job and would try to do his best. “It’s a responsibility and I am looking forward to the new role. I would work hard and try to identify talents and help them come to the fore,” Singh said.

An experienced mentor, Singh has been the coach of Indian archery team in international competitions and has also trained the state outfit, is a hard worker who can be at various competitions held across the state.

“I don’t think there is any dearth of talent in the East Zone. Adequate guidance and training infrastructure would go a long way in unearthing talents across the zone,” Singh, who guides budding archers at a city-based school, added.

He said the new role would require travelling to the designated state which comes under East Zone.

Good wishes have poured in from across the state since the news broke. Jharkhand Archery Association secretary and Dronacharya awardee Purnima Mahato, East Singh District Archery Association president Dinesh Kumar, archery coaches B Sriniwas Rao, SAIL archery cradle chief coach Rajendra Guinya and Tata Archery Academy head coach and Dronacharya awardee Dharmendra Tiwary have congratulated Singh for his nomination.