Atul Pangotra is the only official from India to be selected by World Taekwondo for the first phase of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games international referee selection and training camps ©Atul Pangotra/Facebook

Atul Pangotra is the only Indian official to be selected by World Taekwondo for the first phase of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games international referee selection and training camps, due to be held in Chinese city Wuxi and Russia’s capital Moscow.

As reported by Kashmir Images, Pangotra, who has officiated at various Olympic ranking championships, has also made the list of head coaches who will be assisting India’s team at the 2019 World Taekwondo Championships, scheduled to take place in Manchester from May 15 to 19.

Pangotra is the only taekwondo player from Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) State to have secured medals at the Commonwealth Taekwondo Championships.

He has participated in a number of international Olympic ranking championships and is a recipient of the Sher-I-Kashmir and State Award

Last year, Pangotra represented India at the 18th Asian Games in Jakarta and Palembang as team coach.

He also became the second person from the country to participate as a referee in the World Taekwondo Grand Prix Series when he officiated in Manchester.

"I have been dreaming for this day," Pangotra, the youngest referee chairman of the Taekwondo Federation of India, told Kashmir Images.

"I devoted my entire life in promoting this Olympic sport in and outside state.

"The path would not have been easy for me without the support of my parents, worthy Masters and the association members of J&K Taekwondo Association. 

"It made my day when I heard I had been selected for Paralympics, too."