India’s Korean Sports Assn KSAI formed; Int’l archery coach Chae Hong-Gi designated its first president
International archery coach Chae Hong-Gi who has trained archery teams in South Korea, Japan, United Kingdom, and India has been designated as the first president to lead the KSAI
NEW DELHI/SEOUL: In its efforts to promote the interest of amateur and sports enthusiast Korean citizens in India in Football, Taekwondo, Basketball, Swimming, Golf, Archery and other games, the apex body of Korean community Federation of Korean Associations in India has formed the Korean Sports Association in India (KSAI).
Interestingly, International archery coach Chae Hong-Gi who has trained archery teams in South Korea, Japan, United Kingdom, and India has been designated as the first president to lead the KSAI. Based in Pune, Chae Hong-Gi currently runs CHG Archery & Sports Institute there, and is also the former president of Korean Community Association, Pune.
A formal inauguration and announcement of this sports body is likely to be made at a special event being organized at the Embassy of Republic of Korea in New Delhi on the occasion of country’s National Day on August 15.
Park Euy Don, Chairman, Federation of Korean Associations in India, the man behind this development said that Korean Sports Associations to promote the interest of the Korean community were formed in 18 countries but not in India. “It is for the first time, we have formed the Korean Sports Association in India. Under the able guidance of renowned archery coach and a great sportsperson Chae Hong Gi who has been designated as its first president, the KSAI would do some good work in India and sports events in various categories such as Football, Taekwondo, Basketball, Swimming, Golf, Archery and others. The KOSAI would also participate in the annual Korean National Sports Festival organised in Korea next year when Korean Sports Associations from 19 countries including India would participate,” he added.
The Korean National Sports Festival is an annual sports competition held in South Korea organised in October for a week. About 20,000 athletes representing 16 cities and provinces throughout the country compete in about 40 separate sports. The site rotates among the major cities, including Seoul, Busan, Daegu, Gwangju and Incheon.
The Federation of Korean Associations in India represents nine regional Korean community associations spread across the country. India has a population of about 17,000 Koreans.
Park Euy Don will head the Advisory Committee of KSAI, and Kim Sun-il will be the member.
As regards Chae Hong Gi, he came to India in 2003 as an archery Coach at Army Sports Institute (ASI) of India and remained there till Apr 2007. Following this he went to UK and became an Archery Coach at UK Grand National Archery Association (United Kingdom).
In Mar 2008, he again returned to India and became Archery Coach at Army Sports Institute (ASI) of India again till May 2011. It was in June 2011 when set up his own Chae Hong Gi Archery & Sports Institute in Pune.
In September 2014 he was again appointed as an Archery Coach at Army Sports Institute (ASI) of India where was till Aug 2016.
Chae had dozens of archers training under him. During his tenure Olympian Tarundeep Rai and Majhi Sawai made it to the Indian team for the Athens Olympics in 2004. Chae was also instrumental in grooming other ASI archers, who became international archers such as Harish Kerai, M. R. Tirkey, Gurucharan Besra, Sumai Murmur, Gautam Singh, Robin Hansda, Bulbul Mirandi and M. Ravindra.
Some of the members of the Indian archery team for the Paris Olympic Games 2024
Chae Hong Gi’s career:
Oct 2016 to till date: Director of Chae Hong Gi Archery & Sports Institute, Pune
Sep 2014 to Aug 2016: Archery Coach at Army Sports Institute(ASI) of India
Jun 2011 to Sep 2014: Director of Chae Hong Gi Archery & Sports Institute, Pune
Mar 2008 to May 2011: Archery Coach at Army Sports Institute (ASI) of India
Jun 2007 to Dec 2007: Archery Coach at UK Grand National Archery Association (United Kingdom)
Mar 2003 to Apr 2007: Archery Coach at Army Sports Institute (ASI) of India
Mar 1999 to Jan 2003: Archery Coach at Kinki University in Japan
Feb 1998 to Feb 1999: Archery Coach at Seoul Physical Education High School in South Korea
Apr 1995 to Jan 1998: Physical Education Teacher at Junghee High School in South Korea
May 1991 to Feb 1995: Archery Coach at Seoul Physical Education High School in South Korea
