New Delhi, December 4: Athletics Federation of India (AFI) on Friday appointed the vastly experienced Radhakrishnan Nair as its full-time chief coach, filling the post left vacant after the resignation of Bahadur Singh in July. The 62-year-old Nair was the acting chief coach of Indian athletics since then.

AFI President Adille Sumariwalla expressed confidence that Nair will be able to guide Indian athletes to greater heights. "We are happy we will be able to maintain continuity of our planning since Radhakrishnan has been the deputy chief coach for seven years now," he said in an AFI release. Also Read | Real Madrid Transfer News Update: Los Blancos Contact Mauricio Pochettino As Zinedine Zidane’s Future Remains Under Threat.

Nair, who is also a certified Technical Official and World Athletics Level-5 coach, has been instrumental in enhancing the coaches education system in India. He is the first Indian to have an International Coaching Enrichment Programme Certificate of the International Olympic Committee.

"We are particularly pleased that his ideas of implementation of modern coaching methods and the use of sports science in the development of young athletes have worked well," Sumariwalla said. Also Read | ‘Man of the Match Ravindra Chahal’ Wasim Jaffer Shows Creative Side After Ravindra Jadeja, His Concussion Substitute Yuzvendra Chahal Help India Win Over Australia in 1st T20I.

"At the AFI, we believe he will also continue to work towards improving the standard of coaching across the country, especially at the grass-roots level, with his stress against early specialisation and over-training." Nair's appointment as chief coach has been endorsed by the Sports Authority of India, the AFI said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)