Khel Ratna Award winner Ronjan Sodhi tips his hat to the Indian contingent’s chef de mission – Firstpost
Sodhi expressed interest in applying for the prestigious position weeks after boxing legend MC Mary Kom decided to quit due to personal reasons.
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Khel Ratna Award-winning shooter Ronjan Sodhi has expressed interest in the position of chef de mission of the Indian contingent for this year’s Paris Olympics, a position which was held until recently by the boxing legend MC Mary Kom.
Sodhi, who has won several medals in the ISSF World Cups, Asian Games and Commonwealth Games, decided to throw his hat in the ring two weeks after Mary Kom resigned from her position citing personal reasons.
The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) had on March 21 appointed Mary Kom, bronze medalist at the 2012 London Olympics, as chef de mission and Sharath Kamal, veteran table tennis player, as flag bearer for the ceremony. ‘opening. The former, however, would recuse herself from this role in just three weeks, on April 12.
Confirming the development, Ajay Narang, executive assistant to IOA President PT Usha, told PTI on Thursday that IOA had received an email and a letter from Sodhi for the post of head of mission for the Games, scheduled from July 26. until August 11.
“We received a letter and an email (from Sodhi). Dr Usha and the EC members will decide when this (the decision to appoint a head of mission) will take place.
Narang said he had no idea when the name would be announced.
“These are sensitive issues, many other things are involved, including accreditation, and many other agencies are involved in making such a decision. I won’t be able to give any indication because I have no idea,” Narang said on when and who would be appointed head of mission.
“Dr Usha is aware of this (letter and email), but she is currently in Kerala preparing for the elections. The decision can only be made in May.”
Asked if any other names were in the running, Narang said he had no idea.
Sodhi, a gold medalist at the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games and a two-time winner of the double-trap shooting World Cup final, said he had sent his credentials to the IOA.
“Being a former world number 1 and world record holder, multiple World Cup medalist and Olympian, I consider myself suitable (for this position). I also mentor many young budding sportspeople in different disciplines and not just shooting,” said Sodhi, the 2013 Khel Ratna Award winner.
“I will only go there (Paris) and learn for the better of Indian sport,” he added.
With PTI inputs
