NNIS Sports first broke the news that Radhakrishnan Nair would step down as Chief Coach following the Asian Games, bringing an end to his 10-year tenure at the helm of the national athletics team. With the post officially advertised and applications processed, the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) has shortlisted five candidates for the top job.

 

All five contenders completed their interviews at the AFI headquarters in Delhi on November 1, with the federation expected to announce the final selection by November 5.

 

The incoming chief coach faces a heavy workload. The immediate mandate includes shaping India’s campaign for the 2027 World Athletics Championships in Beijing and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Furthermore, India is set to host two major international track-and-field events in 2028: the Asian Indoor Athletics Championships and the World Athletics Indoor Championships.

 

Here are the five coaches shortlisted by the federation:

 

  • Parveer Singh: Reported to be the frontrunner for the post, the NIS Patiala coach has extensive experience training India’s elite throwers, including Asian Games gold medalist Tajinderpal Singh Toor and javelin thrower Annu Rani.
  • Robert Bobby George: Famous for coaching Anju Bobby George to India’s first World Athletics Championships medal in 2003, bringing proven high-performance coaching credentials to the process.
  • Rajmohan MK: The current Deputy Chief Coach of the national setup.
  • Mohammed Kunhi: A former long-serving national 400m coach who also held an international stint as the head coach of the Thailand national team.
  • Ajith Markose: A middle and long-distance coach currently working with Reliance Foundation
The AFI’s decision on November 5 will determine the technical leadership for Indian athletics through the remainder of the current Olympic cycle. Full updates remain available on athleticsindia.com and NNIS Sports.