Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo’s Election as NRAI President
Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo has officially commenced his first complete four-year term as the President of the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI). This announcement followed the official results of the NRAI office-bearer elections, which were revealed on Thursday at the Park Plaza hotel in Mohali during a General Body meeting. The elections were overseen by Justice Nirmaljit Kaur (Retd), who served as the Returning Officer. Singh Deo was elected unopposed, alongside Pawan Singh, who has been appointed as the new Secretary General. Singh is recognized as one of India’s leading shooting administrators and a technical expert. The elections also established a new Executive Committee and Governing Body, which is the highest decision-making authority within the National Federation.
Vision and Goals of the New Leadership
In his initial remarks, Deo expressed gratitude towards the General Body for their trust, stating, “Indian Shooting has reached an unprecedented level of success and popularity in recent years, which amplifies our responsibilities. We are committed to enhancing this growth and maximizing the potential of our talented shooting athletes. With the national flag in our hearts, let’s unite to elevate India to the top position in the world of shooting.”
Pawan Singh, the new Secretary General, outlined his priorities, emphasizing the importance of technology in the NRAI’s operations. He mentioned, “All NRAI functions, from registration to results, are now online. Our next step is to effectively utilize technology, including AI and performance data, to discover talented shooters nationwide. My aim is to identify and nurture promising athletes from every region of India. Additionally, we plan to train coaches and shooters for coaching roles, ensuring they have alternative career paths post-retirement while continuing to earn from their passion for the sport.”
Significant Appointments in the NRAI
During the electoral process, Amit Sanghi from Telangana was elected as the Senior Vice President of the Governing Body. Additionally, Kanwar Sultan Singh and Sushma Singh were chosen as Vice-Presidents within the 15-member Executive Committee (EC). The EC will also include four sports personalities: Olympic bronze medalist Gagan Narang, Kunti Malik, Zorawar Singh Sandhu, and Elavenil Valarivan.
