Sarma elected as full-time BAI President

Sarma, a Cabinet Minister in Assam, was elected unopposed for a term of four years. He took over as the interim President of BAI last year after the demise of Akhilesh Das Gupta. Former Tamil Nadu Badminton Association president Anbumani Ramadoss was elected as the treasurer uncontested.

A file photo of Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma (left) with India's chief national coach Pullela Gopichand at Gopichand Academy in Hyderabad.

Himanta Biswa Sarma was elected as the president of Badminton Association of India during its elective annual general body meeting here on Tuesday.

Sarma, a Cabinet Minister in Assam, was elected unopposed for a term of four years. He took over as the interim President of BAI last year after the demise of Akhilesh Das Gupta.

Ajay Singhania of Haryana Badminton Association got elected as General Secretary after defeating K K Sharma of Rajasthan Badminton Association.

Former Tamil Nadu Badminton Association president Anbumani Ramadoss was elected as the treasurer uncontested. Ramadoss, a former Union Minister, is currently a sitting Lok Sabha MP from Dharmapuri constituency.

Sarma congratulated all the office-bearers and vowed to do everything in his power to take India to the pinnacle of world badminton.

“I would like to congratulate all the elected members and I am sure that everyone will fulfill their responsibilities to the best of their capacity. Indian badminton has been on an all-time high and we as a federation will strive to take it forward and make Indian badminton to the top of the pedestal,” Sarma said after the election.

“I would also like to bring it to everyone’s notice that I along with the entire office-bearers will will be working in complete transparent manner and will work to make the Association (BAI) the most professional NSF in the country,” he added.

Retd. Chief Justice of High Courts of J&K and Sikkim, Dr. Aftab Hussain Saikia was the returning officer and the electoral process was held under his watchful eyes.

A total of 61 votes were cast by the 31 member affiliates with each state casting two votes except for Telengana which is on a provisional affiliation. Pondicherry Badminton Association was barred from voting as it currently stands as a defunct body.

Haryana Badminton Association President Devender Singh was elected unopposed as the Senior Vice-President.

A total of 42 posts were up for grabs, including that of president, senior vice-president, 12 vice-presidents, three secretaries, eight joint secretaries and 16 executive committee members.

All the executive committee members were elected unanimously.