New Delhi, Jan 6 (IANS) Legendary former track and field athlete P.T. Usha and members of the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) mourned the death of Suresh Kalmadi, India’s seasoned sports administrator and former president of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), who passed away in Pune on Tuesday. Kalmadi, who was 81, is survived by his wife, Meera Kalmadi, and his daughters and son.

He was a prominent leader in Indian sports administration, serving as president of the AFI and the Asian Athletics Association. Additionally, he served as IOA president for over a decade.

Current IOA chair, PT Usha, shared her condolences on X as she wrote, “As IOA President, I am saddened by the demise of former IOA President Shri. Suresh Kalmadi ji. He was also President of AFI for nearly two decades, where he introduced numerous developmental programs for the growth of Athletics in India. My condolences to his family! Om Shanti!”

“He will always be remembered as a dedicated and inspirational sports administrator whose unwavering commitment to the cause of Indian athletics has left an indelible mark. He also made efforts to initiate Railway travel concessions for sportspersons,” Bahadur Singh Sagoo, president of AFI, said in a statement.

Furthermore, Lalit Bhanot, former secretary of AFI, said, “His (Kalmadi’s) contribution to Indian sports will be remembered for a long time. He revived the National Games, which helped build modern infrastructure across the country. He introduced prize money track-and-field permit meets in the early 1990s and invited elite foreign athletes, including Olympic champions like Carl Lewis and Mike Powell, which changed the concept of sports in the country.”

Kalmadi served as president of the Indian athletics federation from 1987 to 2006 and was a member of the World Athletics Council. He also led the Asian athletics organisation for nearly ten years, starting in 2000.

During his tenure as president of the IOA from 1996 to 2012, Kalmadi played a key role in organising the Afro-Asian Games in Andhra Pradesh. He also transformed Indian sports broadly and athletics specifically during his long tenure. Additionally, he was the chairman of the organising committee for the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi.

–IANS

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