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Manipur's Gyanendro Ningombam has replaced Mohammad Mushtaque Ahmad as the president of Hockey India (HI) after the former got elected unopposed at the 10th Hockey India Congress & Elections held in New Delhi on Friday. Ahmad got elected as the Senior Vice President following his decision to step down as president in July due to personal and family commitments.
Ningombam, who had been associated with Manipur Hockey for over a decade, became the first-ever president to take the chair from the north-east region. He has also served as the Chief Executive Officer for Manipur Hockey from 2009 till 2014. Ningombam has played a vital role in uplifting the sport from the grassroots level in the north-east region.
The meeting took place via a video conferencing facility as the members were unable to travel due to the restrictions laid out by the state governments due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The members also discussed the continuation of the domestic hockey calendar, starting with the 2021 National Championships.
Ningombam and Ahmad invaluable for the sport: Hockey India secretary general Rajinder Singh
The secretary general Rajinder Singh spoke on how both Ningombam and Ahmad have been influential in bringing Hockey India to where it is today, intending to develop the sport further more.
"Both Gyanendro and Mushtaque have several years of experience in hockey administration and I am confident their expertise will benefit the sport. Their advice will be instrumental in developing the sport further in the country and their leadership will help us work towards achieving our goals."
Mohammad Mushtaque Ahmad was appointed as the president back in 2018. During his two-year tenure, Hockey India successfully hosted the FIH Men's World Cup in 2018 and FIH Olympic Qualifiers in 2019. Ahmad has also served the governing body as the secretary general in the past.
