NEW DELHI, Sept 16: India's former field hockey coach Rajinder Singh, who was sacked three weeks before the Athens Olympics, was on Thursday honoured by the government for his services to the sport.

Rajinder, a former international, was selected by the sports ministry for the coveted Dronacharya award, given annually to the best coaches in the country, in a stinging rebuke to the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF).

"I am honoured to win the award," the 49-year-old Rajinder said. "At least my contribution is noticed somewhere." The IHF had sacked Rajinder in July - the 14th coach to go in the last 11 years - and appointed unknown German Gerhard Rach as the first foreign coach of the national team.

It made little difference as the eight-time Olympic champions finished seventh at Athens, the same position they secured at the Sydney Games four years earlier. Ironically, Rajinder's name was proposed by the IHF before their falling-out.

The government went ahead with the original choice despite reported moves by the IHF to change their nomination. Rajinder, who coached India to victory in the 2003 Asia Cup, lost favour with the IHF after a string of poor performances ahead of the Olympics.

Recent media reports have suggested that even Rach may be on his way out after the Athens debacle. Four-time Olympian Dhanraj Pillay declined to play again under the German, saying "there were coaches better than Rach in every street corner of India." -PPI