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Mary Kom, Saina Nehwal, and Leander Paes join the government’s sports advisory panel
The government has formed a sports experts advisory committee to enhance talent identification, fair selection, and athlete performance monitoring, with Mary Kom, Saina Nehwal, and Leander Paes among its key members.
Leander Paes will be inducted in the Tennis Hall of Fame later this month. (Photo credit: tennisworldusa)
The Indian government has set up a 17-member Sports Experts Advisory Committee, led by Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, to oversee various aspects of athlete development, selection transparency, and coaching evaluation.
This initiative aims to improve India’s sporting ecosystem by bringing in former athletes and experts to guide the process.
Key embers and their roles
The committee features three Olympic medallists—legendary boxer Mary Kom, badminton star Saina Nehwal, and tennis icon Leander Paes—as key advisors.
Union Minister of State for Sports Raksha Khadse will serve as the vice chairperson, while the Sports Secretary or Joint Secretary will act as the convenor.
Other notable members include Shiny Abraham (Athletics), Heena Sidhu (Shooting), Zafar Iqbal (Hockey), and Armando Colaco (Football), along with representatives from various sports.
Committee objectives
The primary goals of the Sports Experts Advisory Committee are:
- Identifying and grooming young talent at the sub-junior and junior levels
- Ensuring fair and transparent selection of national teams
- Evaluating national and foreign coaches and their impact on athlete performance
- Monitoring India’s performance in international competitions
- Resolving athlete grievances with National Sports Federations (NSFs)
- Advising on long-term development plans (LTDP) and aligning India’s sports system with global best practices
Additionally, the committee aims to reduce selection-related court cases, strengthen communication between athletes and government bodies, and improve sports infrastructure and event management.
Formation of sports expert panel
Alongside the advisory committee, a separate Sports Expert Panel has been established, consisting entirely of former athletes, coaches, and officials.
This panel, also with 17 members, includes names like Dola Banerjee (Archery), Vijender Singh (Boxing), Rani Rampal (Hockey), and Saurav Ghoshal (Squash).
It will focus on monitoring and supervising sports development initiatives.
With a strong lineup of sports legends and administrators, this initiative is expected to streamline India’s sports policies, improve athlete development, and boost India’s global competitiveness in sports.
