Gandhinagar (Gujarat) [India], September 1 (ANI): The Sports Authority of India (SAI) has appointed Prashant Singh as Regional Director, SAI Regional Centre Gandhinagar, with accountability for SAI’s operations throughout Gujarat and Rajasthan.
Hailing from Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, Prashant Singh brings with him over 10 years of expertise in sports activities administration, having labored throughout numerous areas of India’s sporting ecosystem, together with sports activities coverage and programme implementation, athlete improvement, main sporting occasions, sports activities science and athlete-support techniques, sports activities communications, public engagement and institutional improvement, in keeping with a launch.
Singh has been carefully related to the Khelo India Scheme since its inception, together with the launch and conduct of the first-ever Khelo India School Games in 2018. Having labored throughout greater than 10 editions of the Khelo India Games and the thirty sixth National Games in varied purposeful capacities, he has contributed to the event of techniques and SOPs for the planning and conduct of multidisciplinary nationwide sporting occasions.
His expertise in elite sport contains vital obligations throughout the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) and Olympic Cell, together with contributing to the institution of Priority Olympic Disciplines, specializing in sports activities with excessive medal potential on the Olympic Games.
He has additionally served as Sports Development Officer for disciplines together with Athletics, Wrestling, Hockey, Cycling, Fencing and Judo, and contributed to the preparation and coordination of Indian groups for the Commonwealth Games 2022, Asian Games and Asian Para Games 2023, and Paris Olympics and Paralympics 2024.
In 2021, Singh performed a key position in establishing the Central Athlete Injury Management System (CAIMS), geared toward strengthening harm prevention, prognosis and rehabilitation techniques for elite and developmental athletes. This work contributed to the broader strengthening and evolution of India’s sports activities science and athlete-support ecosystem underneath the National Centre for Sports Science and Research (NCSSR) framework.
He has additionally contributed to strengthening the home competitors construction, together with initiatives such because the Khelo India Women’s League, and to the evolution of the Khelo India Revamped Scheme.
From 2022 onwards, Singh headed the Media Division of SAI, overseeing communications, advertising and publicity. He was instrumental in conceptualising and implementing main nationwide campaigns, together with #Cheer4India for the Tokyo Olympic cycle, Commonwealth Games 2022, Asian Games and Asian Para Games 2023, and Paris Olympics and Paralympics 2024.
He additionally performed a key position within the revival and growth of the Fit India Movement, together with the conceptualisation and launch of the Sundays on Cycle marketing campaign, which has since grown right into a nationwide public participation initiative. He has additionally been related to main nationwide sports activities initiatives together with Khelo Bharat Niti and the National Sports Governance Act 2025.
Singh has served as Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to the Director General, SAI, and has labored carefully with the Olympic Cell on strategic initiatives referring to India’s bids for the 2030 Commonwealth Games and 2036 Olympic Games. He was additionally related to the IOC Session 2023 in Mumbai and varied key sporting engagements involving the Hon’ble Prime Minister.
Before he was appointed Regional Director, Singh was posted at Gandhinagar in a senior administration position, the place he was liable for the implementation and functioning of varied SAI and Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports (MYAS) schemes throughout Gujarat and Rajasthan.
Speaking about his priorities as Regional Director, Prashant Singh mentioned that his instant aim could be to actualise the Khelo India Scheme in its new type and translate its aims into tangible outcomes throughout Gujarat and Rajasthan. This could be accompanied by a centered effort in the direction of strengthening the general sporting ecosystem in each States, from grassroots participation and expertise identification to high-performance improvement.
A key precedence could be to determine NCOE Gandhinagar as a number one nationwide centre for the event of Para Sports, with a robust high-performance ecosystem and enhanced pathways for Para athletes. At the identical time, efforts could be undertaken to remodel NCOE Naranpura into one of many nation’s premier locations for National Coaching Camps throughout sports activities, making optimum use of its infrastructure, amenities and strategic location.
Another necessary focus could be the growth of SAI schemes and their attain throughout the area, whereas bringing extra sporting disciplines into the event ecosystem, together with Softball, Baseball and different rising and Olympic-potential sports activities. The goal could be to widen the expertise pool, strengthen aggressive alternatives and create sustainable pathways from grassroots sport to worldwide and podium-level success.
As Regional Director, Singh will drive an ‘Athlete-First’ method, with emphasis on strengthening coaching and athlete-development techniques, increasing expertise identification, leveraging sports activities science and athlete-support providers, enhancing institutional effectiveness and creating larger alternatives for podium finishes.
The appointment brings collectively Singh’s intensive expertise throughout grassroots sport, elite athlete improvement, sports activities coverage, main sporting occasions, sports activities communications and sports activities administration, as he assumes management of SAI’s regional operations throughout Gujarat and Rajasthan. (ANI)