Sandip Pradhan leaves office as DG of Sports Authority of India; Sujata Chaturvedi to take over on interim basis

Sandip Pradhan will leave the office of Director General of Sports Authority of India on completion of his tenure with Sports Secretary Sujata Chaturvedi taking over his role on an interim basis.

Pradhan, an Indian Revenue Office of the 1990 batch, had taken over as Director General in August 2019 from Neelam Kapoor, with India seeing two successful Olympic and Paralympics cycles under him, in Tokyo and Paris, respectively. | Photo Credit: The Hindu

Sandip Pradhan will leave the office of Director General of Sports Authority of India on completion of his tenure with Sports Secretary Sujata Chaturvedi taking over his role on an interim basis, the Sports Ministry of India announced on Tuesday.

“Consequent upon the completion of Central deputation tenure of Shri Sandip M. Pradhan for the post of Director General, Sports Authority of India (SAI), on 30.09.2024, the Competent Authority has approved the entrustment of additional charge of the post of Director General, Sports Authority of India (SAI) to Smt. Sujata Chaturvedi, Secretary (Sports) w.e.f. 01.10.2024, and till the appointment of a regular incumbent or until further orders, whichever is earlier,” read the letter from S. K. Sinha, the Deputy Sports Secretary.

Pradhan, an Indian Revenue Office of the 1990 batch, had taken over as Director General in August 2019 from Neelam Kapoor, with India seeing two successful Olympic and Paralympics cycles under him, in Tokyo and Paris, respectively.

At the 2020 Olympics, India won its first-ever gold medal in track-and-field through Neeraj Chopra in men’s javelin throw, while the country had its best show at the Games with seven medals to its name.

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One of the major contributing factors to India’s success was the growth of the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS), started in 2014, that which grew further under Pradhan.

For 2024, our plan is already in place. We have a Target Olympic Podium committee, and many of those who are around are also a part of the committee. We have the sub-committees in place to analyse the individual game. At present we have around 98 athletes preparing for 2024 that includes 40 para athletes and 168 athletes we are supporting for 202,” Pradhan had said in a Sportstar Conclave last year.

“We already had a discussion with the federation and – not just me but also our committees and sub-committees. All the federations have given a plan for the Paris Olympics and also for the Asian Games which is a very important milestone.”

In Paris, India levelled its second-best medal tally (6 medals), with its third-best performance ever in Olympics while in the Paralympics, it had its best-ever showing, winning 29 medals, including seven gold, nine silver and 13 bronze.