Odisha MLA, Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo has been chosen as the new president of the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) after winning the election held at the Constitution Club of India. Kalikesh received 36 votes, defeating his competitor, VK Dhall, who secured 21 votes.
A former Member of Parliament from Odisha, Kalikesh has been serving as the caretaker of the NRAI since last year. His interim leadership role was necessary after the previous president, Raninder Singh, stepped down due to new regulations under the National Sports Code. Kalikesh will serve as NRAI president until 2025, when the next general body meeting is scheduled.
Why Raninder Singh resigned
Raninder Singh, who had been president for over 12 years, from December 29, 2010, to December 29, 2022, resigned in April 2023. His resignation followed the government’s National Sports Code, which limits the tenure of national sports federation heads to 12 years.
Success under Kalikesh’s Interim leadership
During Kalikesh’s time as caretaker, India experienced a resurgence in shooting sports. Indian shooters bagged three bronze medals at the Paris Olympics, a significant improvement after missing out on medals in both the 2016 Rio Olympics and the 2020 Tokyo Games. He is expected to continue guiding Indian shooting to during his tenure.
ISSF World Cup finals next month
The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) has announced a 23-member Indian shooting team for the ISSF World Cup Final 2024, scheduled to be held in New Delhi next month. Interestingly, India’s Paris 2024 shooting medallists – Manu Bhaker, Sarabjot Singh, and Swapnil Kusale – have not been included in the squad for this season’s concluding event.
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