Pune: Punit Balan Elected Unopposed As President Of Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India

Pune: Young entrepreneur and sports administrator Punit Balan has been elected unopposed as the President of the Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India (AKFI). Along with his appointment, the federation announced its new executive committee for the 2026-30 term, comprising 22 office-bearers representing various states across the country.

The election for the new AKFI body was held in Ranchi, Jharkhand, on Sunday in the presence of representatives from 22 state units. Maharashtra-based industrialist and sports promoter Punit Balan was unanimously chosen to head the federation.

Former Member of Parliament Ramdas Tadas from Vidarbha was appointed President Emeritus, while Bihar's Rajkumar Singh was named Chief Patron. Ushi Reddy of Telangana was elected as the General Secretary. Representatives from different states were also unanimously elected to key positions in the executive committee.

The election process was supervised by former High Court judge Ratnakar Bhengra, who served as the Election Officer, while retired District Judge Pankaj Srivastava acted as the Assistant Election Officer.

Several federation officials, including Arun Singh, Dr Rajesh Gupta, Vivek Reddy, Rahul Singh, Chetan Govind Jha, Rajesh Singh, Manoj Sharma, Kunal M. Tripathi, Sammi Singh, Sujal Keshari and Pradeep Tirkey, were present during the proceedings.

Punit Balan, who is known for consistently supporting sports initiatives, is expected to provide fresh direction and momentum to Indian kabaddi under his leadership.

Quote

"I sincerely thank all the state associations and office-bearers across the country for entrusting me with the responsibility of leading the Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India. Kabaddi is India's traditional sport and is deeply connected with the masses. We are committed to strengthening the game globally, creating opportunities for talented players from rural areas, developing modern training facilities, and encouraging women and young kabaddi players. Together with all office-bearers and state associations, we will work for the overall development of Indian kabaddi and strive to bring greater success to the country at the international level"

- Punit Balan (newly elected President of AKFI)