Veteran athletics coach and Dronacharya awardee Joginder Singh Saini, who groomed some of India’s finest track and field stars, died in Patiala today due to age-related problems. He was 90. Saini, who remained the chief national athletics coach for many years from the 1970s to 90s, was not keeping well for the past few days.

Born on January 1, 1930 in Hoshiarpur district in Punjab, Saini was a science graduate and became an athletics coach in 1954. He became the chief coach of the then Amateur Athletics Federation of India in 1970.

Saini received the Dronacharya Award in 1997 for his contribution to Indian athletics. He was the chief coach of the Indian athletics team which won 18 medals, including eight golds, at the 1978 Asian Games.