Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has been re-elected unopposed as the president of the Badminton Association of India (BAI) for another term (2022 to 2026) at the general body meeting of the association here on Friday.
Sarma, who took over the reins of BAI in 2017, had been instrumental in raising substantial funds for the development of the game in the last four years.
It may be mentioned that Sarma is also Badminton Asia’s vice-president and a member of the Badminton World Federation Executive Council.
“Badminton has been in the ascendancy in India for the last two decades and we are committed to continue that rise by providing better facilities to players and a robust governance system,” Sarma said after being re-elected as the BAI president.
Former junior national coach Sanjay Mishra would be the new general secretary, with incumbent Ajay Kumar Singhania becoming vice-president in the new executive council.
Besides, Maharashtra Badminton Association president Arun Lakhani will be the new treasurer.
Chief national coach Pullela Gopichand will also make a foray into the BAI administration after being elected as the vice-president along with Anbumani Ramadoss and ten others.
The newly elected executive council will also have 12 vice-presidents alongside eight joint secretaries and an equal number of committee members, a statement issued here said.