VETERAN sports organiser and the man responsible for promoting handball in the region, Sitaram Bhotmange passed away on Saturday. He was 89. Bhotmange, a Dadoji Konddeo award winner, and an eminent handball coach, spent his life at Yashwant Stadium imparting coaching and promoting the game. His entire family was devoted to handball with three generations serving the game and bringing fame to the region. Bhotmange leaves behind wife, three sons, a daughter and a host of relatives to mourn his loss. The last rites were performed on Saturday at Mokshdham. With the passing away of Bhotmange, Nagpur has lost ‘Bhishmapitamah’ of handball. His son Sunil, also a renowned handball player, coach and recipient of Shiv Chhatrapati awards in both categories. It was way back in 1971 when Sitaram Bhotmange sowed the seeds of handball at Yashwant Stadium.

 

He devoted himself to the game and continued with it till his last breath. Bhotmange was instrumental in producing several national and international-level players from Nagpur namely Rajkumar Naidu, Roopkumar Naidu, Narendra Singh Saggu, Atmaram Pande, Virendra Bhandarkar, Gajanan Jadhav, Dr Rajan Welukar, Dhananjay Welukar, Vipin Kamdar, Murli Nambiar, Milind Makde, Inderjeet Singh Randhawa, Lata Mudliar, Vidya Kini, Mangla Manapur, Jaya Manapure, Nevidita Mehta, Lalita Awachat-Randhawa. Recognising his devotion to handball, Bhotmange was conferred with the Dadoji Konddeo award in 1979-80. Bhotmange also served as the District Sports Officer of Nagpur and during that period too he continued his handball coaching. During his tenure as DSO, Nagpur organised Schools’ handball nationals. Apart from handball, Bhotmange also served wrestling as Vice-President of Maharashtra Wrestling Association and Secretary of Divisional Wrestling Association. A large number of sports lovers and former and present handball players, sports organisers, officials, paid their tributes to the departed soul.

 

Dy CM Fadnavis pays tributes MAHARASHTRA Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis paid glowing tributes to Dadoji Konddeo Award winner Sitaram Bhotmange, who passed away at the age of 89, on Saturday. In a twitter post, DCM Fadnavis said, “pained with the loss of Pitamah of handball Sitaram Bhotmange. Whichever sport he was associated with, he helped sportspersons in achieving great heights in every sphere of life. My condolences to the departed soul.”