Pandey, Sarkar in IOA raises hopes of UP hosting National Games
LUCKNOW:With the nominations of two key sports personalities in the Indian Olympic Association on Thursday, Uttar Pradesh’s chance of hosting the 2020 National Games was brightened.
Uttar Pradesh Olympic Association’s secretary-general Anandeshwar Pandey was elected as treasurer, whereas director of Sahara Adventure Sports Limited, Abhijit Sarkar was named in the executive committee.
In terms of the IOA, this is the best-ever achievement for Uttar Pradesh in the last 20 years as UPOA’s former chief Lokpati Tripathi had been named vicepresident once in 90’s. On Thursday, Pandey defeated one Rakesh Gupta by 113-37 votes for the post of treasurer.
“Even before becoming the IOA treasurer, I had been working for the hosting rights of the 2020 National Games in UP. Certainly, today’s outcome of the election is a big boost to UP sports and I will try to justify my election in the IOA,” Anandeshwar Pandey told HT after being elected on Thursday.
Only this August, hopes for UP hosting the National Games were rekindled when chief minister Yogi Adityanath accepted an official request from UPOA to hold the event in 2020. During the award distribution function on the National Sports Day, deputy chief minister Dinesh Sharma, who also happens to be UPOA’s vice-president, along with UPOA’s secretary-general Anandeshwar Pandey, had submitted an official request to the CM in this regard.
“We had a positive response from the CM and hosting of National Games in UP is possible in 2020,” said Pandey, who has recently been named as IOA’s advisor for the National Games. He also happens to be the secretary-general of the South Asia Handball Federation as well as the handball Federation of India.