Ashok Kumar Patel is a former athlete and athletic coach who has served as the Chhattisgarh State Athletic Coach and Indian Railways Athletics Team Coach. He has received several honours, including the C.G. Govt Sahid Rajiv Pandey Award, Sahis Pankaj Vikram Award, Utkrisht Khel Puraskar, GM Award and DRM Award. A consistent state-level champion from 2004 to 2018, he achieved notable results such as 7th place at the All India University Championship in 2004 and 1st place in the 2005 National Inter-Zonal Junior Athletics Championship. He has won multiple national medals and secured the 2018–19 International Race Walking Championship title.
