who was dronacharya

Dronacharya, also known as Guru Drona, was a revered teacher and warrior in the Hindu epic Mahabharata. He was the royal preceptor to both the Kauravas and the Pandavas, the royal princes of the kingdom of Hastinapur. Dronacharya was known for his exceptional skills in advanced military arts and mastery of divine weapons called astras. He was the son of the sage Bharadwaja and considered an incarnation or partial incarnation of Brihaspati, the guru of the gods. Dronacharya is especially remembered for being the guru of the great archer Arjuna, who was his favorite student. Despite his loyalty to the throne of Hastinapur, which led him to fight on the side of the Kauravas in the Kurukshetra war, he was a teacher to princes of both sides. Dronacharya was a strict and discerning teacher, known for testing not only the skills but also the loyalty of his students. In the war, Dronacharya was a powerful warrior and served as the commander of the Kuru army for several days. However, he was eventually killed by Dhristadyumna, the son of his arch rival King Drupada. Dronacharya’s legacy is honored in India through the Dronacharya Award, given annually for excellence in sports coaching.