New Delhi: Decorated para-athlete and India’s lone woman Paralympic medallist Deepa Malik has been elected as president of Paralympic Committee of India (PCI) though the results of the elections are subject to a pending case in the Delhi High Court.
The 49-year-old Deepa, who won a silver in shot put F-53 event in the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games, was elected unopposed as president in the PCI polls conducted Friday in Bangalore.
“My heartiest congratulations on the commencement of new innings of a fresh tenure in @ParalympicIndia. Expressing my gratitude on being trusted with the presidentship and welcoming an athlete-centric approach in para sports in India,” Deepa wrote on her twitter handle.
“A huge transition for me, personally, for which I hope for continued support. I look forward to disposing my duty with full honesty and integrity,” added Deepa.
Gursharan Singh, who was acting as interim-president after former chief Rao Inderjit Singh was removed from his post last year, was also elected unopposed.
Kavender Chaudhury and Shashi Ranjan Prasad Singh were elected as vice-presidents, while M Mahadeva was made treasurer. Nale Nandkishor Baburao and Kantilal Parmar were elected as joint secretaries.
Deepa, also a ‘Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna’ as well as Padma Shri recipient, has also won a silver in the IPC World Championships in 2011 in shot put F 52-53 event, besides bagging a silver each in discus (F 52-53) and javelin throw (F 53-54) events in the 2018 Asian Games in Indonesia.
The Sports Ministry in September last year had de-recognised the PCI, citing violation of the National Sports Code in the para-body’s decision to sack Rao Inderjit Singh. The Ministry had said it found PCI’s response on the removal of Rao Inderjit unsatisfactory.
PTI