The new coach of the women’s hockey team Harendra Singh will be offered a monthly salary of Rs 2 lakh, according to a Times of India report. The Sports Authority of India (SAI) has offered Singh a two-year contract, however, the amount suggested is less compared to what foreign coaches draw said sources in Hockey India on Friday.
The report states that Singh will get a package on par with what foreign hockey coaches draw with SAI. But the deal does not specify anything beyond a consolidated tax-free remuneration of Rs2 lakh, sources said. Singh is also not eligible for medical reimbursement or leave travel allowance unlike foreign coaches who are eligible for it along with tax-free salaries.
Sjored Marijne, who is the new coach of the men’s team and Singh’s predecessor, used to make $9,500 (Rs 6 lakh) a month. Singh will only be getting 30 per cent of the amount.
In fact, Singh will be paid considerably lesser than the other foreign coaches and scientific advisors associated with Hockey India. While women’s analytical coach Eric Wonink gets $8,500, the scientific advisors attached to various teams take home $5,500 each. Men’s analytical coach Hans Streeder, who quit after Hockey India sacked senior men’s coach Roelant Oltmans, was being paid $9,500 while Oltmans himself earned $15,000, according to the report.
“On the other hand, Harendra is not likely be paid by his employers, Air India, as he has entered into a fresh contract with SAI. As a deputy general manager at Air India, his pay would have been only a few thousands less. When he was the coach of the junior World Cup team last year, he wasn’t paid a penny for his services and had to depend on the Air India salary. The move to bring him on SAI rolls now was to ensure that Harendra was paid well for his work. But the compensation that has been worked out is nothing great. Is this the way we treat our coaches?” said sources.