BFI elections: Ajay Singh re-elected as president; Pramod Kumar is new security general

The Boxing Federation of India (BFI) elected its new leadership on Thursday (August 21), and Ajay Singh won the presidential race with an overwhelming majority. Singh, who has dominated Indian boxing for many years, won by 40 votes to 26 over challenger Jaslal Pradhan, rallying support among state associations and renewing his term as the sport's top administrator. The elections included the participation of 34 state associations representing 66 votes collectively and also determined important positions of secretary general, treasurer, and vice presidents.

Uttar Pradesh's Pramod Kumar was chosen as secretary general, ousting erstwhile treasurer Digvijay Singh by 36 votes against 30. With his no-nonsense approach to smoothly orchestrating national championships, Kumar's elevation was interpreted as a reward for his organisational efforts at the grassroots level. Pon Baskaran won the treasurer's contest in a three-way fight with 28 votes against challengers Anil Kumar Bohidar and R. Gopu.

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After his victory, Singh called the result ‘a reaffirmation of the trust and faith’ of his colleagues. "This is not merely a mandate, but a salute to the work we have done together to take Indian boxing forward. I thank Fairuz Mohamed, chairperson of the BFI interim committee and observer from World Boxing, for conducting a free and fair election. My congratulations to all the newly elected office bearers," he said.

Looking forward to global tournaments, Singh emphasised that the federation's focus will be on preparing athletes for the World Championships and World Cup. "Our topmost commitment is to improve grassroots programmes, empower youth and junior athletes, and enhance India's rising prominence in international boxing," he further added.

The outcome ends the tenure of the BFI’s interim committee, under which Singh also played a key role in steering the sport through a transitional phase. During this period, national championships across all levels were held on schedule, while Indian boxers registered strong performances internationally, underlining the country’s growing profile in the sport.