Coach Jaskirat Singh Grewal's name resonates with golfing success in Chandigarh. Popularly known as coach Jesse Grewal, the 64-year-old has been an unsung hero for aspiring golf professionals. Recognising his efforts and achievements, the Indian government has named Grewal for Dronacharya Award, making him the only golf coach to get the honour.
For someone who has been training golfers for the past 33 years — including internationally acclaimed Shubhankar Sharma, Amandeep Drall, Irina Brar, Yuvraj Sandhu, Karandeep Kochhar, Angad Cheema, Abhijit Chadha, along with budding golfers like Nihaal Cheema, Ojaswani Sehrawat — the honour comes a bit late but the coach is not complaining.
"It is better to be late than never for a golf coach to be considered for the Dronacharya award. It is very good for the sport as well as the hard-working coaches. Indian golfers have been doing well internationally and I am hoping in the Paris Olympics 2024, Indian golfers bag medals and prove their mettle."
He was a golfer before turning coach in 1988 and also played in the PGA of India tournaments for two years.
"It feels great to be recognised by the Indian government and get this award. My journey as a coach has been wonderful. I still recall the day, when I was playing golf and someone asked me for a golf lesson. That is when I decided to turn a golf coach back in 1988. I am happy that I made that choice and this day has come when I have been considered for this prestigious award."
{{/usCountry}}"It feels great to be recognised by the Indian government and get this award. My journey as a coach has been wonderful. I still recall the day, when I was playing golf and someone asked me for a golf lesson. That is when I decided to turn a golf coach back in 1988. I am happy that I made that choice and this day has come when I have been considered for this prestigious award."
{{/usCountry}}Grewal is the second Dronacharya awardee from Chandigarh. Earlier, Desh Prem Azad, coach of former India captain Kapil Dev, was given the Dronacharya award after India won the cricket World Cup in 1983.
Grewal is a Level 1 TPI Golf Fitness Instructor, Level 2 Junior Coach (Titleist Performance Institute), Level 1 Sam Putt Lab and he has also done Level 2 course from Harold Swash Putting School. Grewal has been coach to the golf team at the 2023 Asian Games where Aditi Ashok won a silver medal. He had been a coach to the 2008 and 2012 men's team at The Eisenhower Trophy (The World Cup of Golf).
India's top-ranked golfer Shubhankar Sharma has been his most successful trainee. An Arjuna awardee, Shubhankar has won twice on The European Tour and took the eighth spotat The 2023 Open Championship. Sharma was also named European Tour's Rookie of the Year in 2018 and is a multiple-time a winner on PGTI.
"I am pinning my hopes on Shubhankar Sharma, Gaganjeet Bhullar, Yuvraj Sandhu, Ajeetesh Sandhu and also Karandeep Kochhar to go to Paris and make India proud by winning medals. In the past, Aditi Ashok has done well in the Asian Games and won medal," added Grewal, who is also a chief coach at the National Golf Academy Of India and teaches professionals.
"Golf has evolved as a sport in India since the late 1990s. Chandigarh has been a golfing nursery and produced top-notch golfers like Jeev Milkha Singh, Irina Brar and youngsters like Shubhankar Sharma, Karandeep Kochhar, Ajeetesh Sandhu and Yuvraj Sandhu. As a coach at the National Golf Academy Of India I see so many aspiring golf coaches wanting to do well and pick up the tricks of the trade well," concluded Grewal.