Aspy Adajania
Captain Aspy Adajania was an Ex-Serviceman (Army Infantry) known as a pioneer in the sport of Indian Amateur Boxing. Soon after leaving St. Xaxiers College, Bombay, Adajania joined the Indian Army on an emergency commission to fight the 1965 Indo-Pakistan War as a Captain of the 5/9 Gurkha Battalion.
Aspy Adajania | |
---|---|
Born | May 7th, 1942 India |
Died | July 17th, 1994 Budapest, Hungary |
Occupation | Business |
Known for | Boxing |
Spouse(s) | Persis Adajania |
Children | Zia Divan (Adajania) & Homi Adajania |
Awards | Padma Shri |
Adajania was the President of the Indian Amateur Boxing Federation (IABF) in 1985, 1987, 1990 and 1991[1][2] and the Chairman of the Bombay Boxing Association.[3] Adajania is credited with the development of Indian Amateur Boxing by bringing in Cuban boxing coach, Blas Iglesias Fernandez, the first foreigner to receive the highest Indian coaching award, the Dronacharya Award,[4] for coaching Indian boxers.[5] Adajania officiated over six Olympic Games (1972 Munich, West Germany, 1976 Montreal, Canada, 1980 Moscow, Soviet Union, 1984 Los Angeles, United States, 1988 Seoul, South Korea, and 1992 Barcelona, Spain). He also brought the prestigious Super Nations Cup to India at a time when international sports of this magnitude were a rarity. Adajania served as a member of the Executive Committee[6] and the Grievance Committee of the International Boxing Association (AIBA)[7] and was the first and only Indian to hold this honour on an international platform. The Government of India awarded him the fourth highest civilian honour of the Padma Shri in 1992 [8] for his relentless service to Indian sport and commitment to promoting and supporting underprivileged Indian athletes
Captain Aspy Adajania died on July 17, 1994 while on assignment in Budapest, Hungary at the age of 52.[1]
![](../I/Capt._Aspy_Adajania.jpg.webp)
References
- "Boxing ex-official Devine Jones dead". Indian Express. 12 July 2010. Retrieved 20 October 2015.
- "Packing a new punch". India Today. 15 December 1990. Retrieved 20 October 2015.
- "Boman Irani had a bakery shop". Times of India. 4 July 2010. Retrieved 20 October 2015.
- "Surprised to receive the Dronacharya Award, says Fernandez". Zee News. 24 August 2012. Retrieved 20 October 2015.
- "Bhiwani via Havana". Indian Express. 21 November 2010. Retrieved 20 October 2015.
- "Executive Committee AIBA" (PDF). Olympic Information Cente. 2015. Retrieved 20 October 2015.
- "Anthony Hembrick earlier this week avoided a fight he..." UPI News. 19 September 1988. Retrieved 20 October 2015.
- "Padma Awards" (PDF). Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 November 2014. Retrieved 21 July 2015.