Olympian Elavenil Valarivan joined the Executive Committee of the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) through the Prominent Athletes’ Quota.
She will serve alongside Olympic bronze medallist Gagan Narang, pistol coach Kunti Malik, and veteran trap shooter Zoravar Singh Sandhu.
Elavenil, currently preparing for the 10m air rifle event at the ISSF World Cup Final in Doha, received her nomination despite her name not appearing in the initial NRAI list. Her inclusion highlights the growing role of athletes in shaping the future of Indian shooting.
Meanwhile, elections brought significant changes. V.K. Dhall, president of the West Bengal Rifle Association, lost both the vice-presidential (Executive Committee) and senior vice-presidential (Governing Body) contests. Kanwar Sultan Singh and Sushma Singh secured the two vice-presidential positions, while Amit Sanghi became the senior vice-president.
Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo retained his position as NRAI president. He was re-elected unopposed after Gagan Narang withdrew his candidature. Clause 9(a) of the Manual of Operational Procedures and Guidelines (MOPG) states that when the number of contesting candidates equals the number of posts, all candidates are deemed elected unopposed without polling.
The new NRAI Executive Committee now combines experienced administrators with accomplished athletes.
