Olympics
Mansukh Mandaviya assumes charge of sports ministry
Mandaviya, who succeeded Anurag Thakur, pledged to 'stregthen' the country in the field of sports.
Mansukh Mandaviya assumed the office of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports at the Shastri Bhawan in New Delhi. (Photo credit: Mansukh Mandaviya/X)
Mansukh Mandaviya assumed the office of the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs on Tuesday.
Mandaviya, who succeeded Anurag Thakur, pledged to 'stregthen' the country in the field of sports.
"...to empower the youth of the country and strengthen the country in the field of sports, today I took charge of @YASMinistry in Shastri Bhawan," Mandaviya posted on X after taking charge.
"We all will work together with full commitment to strengthen these areas," he added.
The 52-year-old BJP MP won the Porbandar Lok Sabha seat in Gujarat.
Mandaviya has been a regular face in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's cabinet. He has been at the helm of several ministries in PM Modi's cabinet since 2014. He served as the health minister at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2021.
Besides the sports ministry, Mandaviya also took charge of the Ministry of Labour and Employment.
At the time of his joining of sports ministry, Minister of State (Sports) Raksha Khadse, a three-time BJP MP from Maharashtra's Raver, was also present.
37-year-old Raksha is the daughter-in-law of Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Khadse.
Mandaviya is particularly known for his management of the health ministry amid the pandemic. He had assumed the charge of the ministry from Dr Harsh Vardhan, who was dropped from the Council of Ministers as part of a reshuffle.
As a sports minister, Mandaviya has his task cut out as he has several issues to solve in the important Olympic year while also strengthening India's bid for the 2036 Olympics.
