Vivek Thakur, judo coach at Sports Council Chandigarh, has been appointed as the head coach of the Indian team for the fourth consecutive year.Thakur will lead the Indian contingent at the Asian Junior Cup 2026, scheduled to be held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan from May 26 to 31. The Indian team consists of a total of 18 members, including 16 athletes and 2 coaches.Notably, out of the 16 selected athletes, five are Thakur’s students and are training under him in Chandigarh. Coach Thakur and the selected athletes have been chosen by the Judo Federation of India to participate in the event.Thakur has represented India as both an athlete and coach in several international competitions. He has led the Indian team in countries including UK, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Chinese Taipei, Indonesia and Uzbekistan.On this occasion, N S Thakur, General Secretary of Amateur Judo Association Chandigarh, praised Thakur’s achievements and wished him all the best.Joint Director Sports, Dr Mahender Singh, said Thakur was one of the most hardworking and dedicated coaches of the Sports Council and his achievements always brought pride to Chandigarh.