New Delhi: Senior BJD leader and Lawmaker Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo was elected President of the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) beating VK Dhall 36-21 in the polls held at the Constitution Club of India on Saturday.
Kalikesh, a MLA from Bolangir, has been taking care of the day-to-day functioning of the NRAI after the position fell vacant last year following the resignation of Raninder Singh as per the Government’s National Sports Code (NSC).
“Many congratulations to new @OfficialNRAI President Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo @DeoKalikesh as he overcomes the challenge of Mr. V.K. Dhall 36-21 at the elections held today at the @ccoi_1947. We wish him all the best!,” the NRAI said in a post on X.
Kalikesh will now remain President of NRAI till 2025, when the next general body of the association is scheduled.
Last year, the Sports Ministry had issued a directive that heads of national sports federations (NSFs) cannot hold office for more than 12 years as per the NSC.
The Sports Ministry had pointed out in March 2023 that Raninder had completed 12 years as president — from December 29, 2010 to December 29, 2022 — and as per the code, he cannot continue any further.
After Raninder stepped down in April last year, the NRAI has been headed by its senior vice-president Kalikesh.
During Kalikesh’s tenure as caretaker head of the federation, India won three bronze at the Paris Olympics, thus breaking the jinx of going without a medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics and the 2020 Tokyo Games.