Scion of the erstwhile Patiala royals, who nurtured the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), right from Maharaja Bhupinder Singh, who first became IOA president in 1928
One of the most influential Indian sports administrators of the country, and a scion of the erstwhile royal family of Patiala, Randhir Singh has become the first Indian ever to be elected president of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA).
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The appointment was made official at the 44th OCA General Assembly held at the Bharat Mandapam, Pragati Maidan in New Delhi, on Sunday. Sports leaders from all 45 countries of Asia were present.
Randhir Singh was unanimously elected by the OCA representatives for the top post when he emerged as the sole candidate contesting for the position earlier this year.
The 77-year-old’s tenure as OCA president will run till 2028.
Randhir Singh has been serving as the acting president of the OCA since 2021, stepping in for Kuwait’s Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah, who received a 15-year ban from sports administration earlier this year due to ethics violations.
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Prior to this he was appointed as the Secretary General of OCA in 1991 and held the position till 2015, before taking on the role of life vice-president which he held till 2021.
For his services to sports, Randhir Singh was conferred the OCA Award of Merit in 2005, the Merit Award from Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) in 2006 and the Olympic Order, Silver in 2014.
Olympic trap & skeet shooter
A five-time Olympic trap & skeet shooter, who became the first Indian shooter to win a gold medal in Asian Games (at the 1978 Asiad), Randhir Singh received the Arjuna Award in 1979 for his achievements in shooting. He retired as a sports shooter in 1994.
In domestic sports administration, Randhir Singh’s remained secretary general of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) from 1987 to 2012. He is known to have played a major role in bringing the 2010 Commonwealth Games to Delhi.
Family nurtured IOA
Randhir Singh’s family has been deeply rooted in sports. He is grandson of Maharaja Bhupinder Singh of Patiala, who served as IOA president from 1928-1938.
Randhir’s elder paternal uncle, Maharaja Yadavindra Singh, the last maharaja of Patiala, was a Test cricketer and International Olympic Committee (IOC) member, who succeeded his father as IOA President, serving in that capacity from 1938 to 1960. The maharaja is learnt to have played a prominent role in lobbying for and organising the first Asian Games, held in Delhi in 1951.
Randhir’s father, Bhalindra Singh, also a first-class cricketer, served as an IOC member from 1947 to 1992 and IOA president from 1980 to 1984 (taking over from his elder brother). His role was crucial in bringing the 1982 Asian Games to Delhi.
All the election results
OCA President: Randhir Singh (India)
OCA Vice Presidents
East Asia: Timothy Fok (Hong Kong, China)
Southeast Asia: Dr Norza Zakaria (Malaysia)
South Asia: HRH Prince Jigyel Ugyen Wangchuck (Bhutan)
West Asia: Dr Thani Al-Kuwari (Qatar)
Central Asia: Otabek Umarov (Uzbekistan)
Executive Board members:
East Asia: Ms. Mikako Kotani (Japan)
Southeast Asia: Prof. Dr. Supitr Samahito (Thailand)
Central Asia: Ms. Olga Rybakova (Kazakhstan)
West Asia: Noora Al Jasmi (United Arab Emirates)
South Asia: no candidate
