On Friday, country’s top wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia joined the Indian National Congress ahead of the Haryana assembly polls
In the past, there have been countless India athletes who have forayed into the world of politics
Ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the now Paralympic Committee of India chief Devendra Jhajharia was announced as Bharatiya Janata Party’s candidate for Rajasthan’s Churu constituency
Former cricketer and current head coach of the Indian men’s national team, Gautam Gambhir served as a BJP MP in Lok Sabha between 2019 and 2024 before quitting politics
In 2019, Babita Phogat, Vinesh’s cousin, joined BJP and went on to fight a losing battle in that year’s Haryana polls
Former cricketer Yusuf Pathan joined Trinamool Congress ahead of the General elections and defeated Congress’s Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury in West Bengal’s Bahrampur to win a seat in Lok Sabha this year
Shooter-turned-administrator and the acting President of the National Rifle Association of India, Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo was a two-time Lok Sabha MP from Biju Janata Dal
Asiad bronze medallist in hockey, Sandeep Singh, was Haryana’s Sports Minister since 2019, before he resigned after a case of sexual harassment was registered against him
Cricketer Mohammed Kaif entered poltiics in the Congress fold ahead of the 2014 General Elections. He lost and eventually quit politics.
Olympic silver medallist Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, an incumbent Cabinet Minister in Rajasthan, joined BJP in 2013 and has since held multiple high-profile posts, including that of the Sports Minister
Former India football captain Bhaichung Bhutia fought a losing battle in the Lok Sabha elections under TMC’s ticket in 2014 before starting his own party, Hamro Sikkim Party, in 2018
World Cup-winning cricketer Kirti Azad’s foray into politics began with the BJP but a public takedown of late BJP leader Arun Jaitley led to his suspension. He joined the Congress in 2019 and then the All India Trinamool Congress in 2022
India and Bengal cricketer Manoj Tiwary saddles the responsibilities of being the state sports ministry in the All India Trinamool Congress government in West Bengal alongside his playing career
Cricketer Mohammad Azharuddin joined the Congress in 2009 and won from Moradabad. He eventually has based political operations in his native city, Hyderabad
Cricketer Ravindra Jadeja is a member of the BJP, as is his wife Rivaba who shared images of their membership cards online this week
Former Indian goalkeeper Kalyan Chaubey, the current president of the All India Football Federation, joined the BJP in 2015
Olympian discus thrower Krishna Poonia joined the Congress in 2013
Prasun Banerjee, footballer and the brother of legendary PK Banerjee, joined Trinamool Congree and eventually became the first footballer elected to parliament.
Olympic bronze-winning boxer Vijender Singh joined the Congress in 2019 and moved to the BJP ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha Polls.
In 2016, S. Sreesanth contested the Kerala Assembly Elections as a BJP member but lost.
Olympic bronze medallist Saina Nehwal joined the BJP in 2020
Cricket Laxmi Ratan Shukla joined the All India Trinamool Congress in 2016, won the election and was even chosen to be the state sports minister. He resigned in 2021 and has not been seen moving elsewhere.
Navjot Singh Sidhu’s political career began with the BJP in 2004. In 2016, he co-founded a new political front Aawaaz-e-Punjab before moving to Congress in 2017