Roopam is first lady to head Indian basketball

KOCHI: For the first time in the 62-year history of Indian basketball, a woman has been given the charge of leading the sport in the country.
Roopam Sharma, 48, who has experience in the corporate world, has been named as the CEO of the Basketball Federation of India (BFI) during their annual general meeting held recently.
An employee of Air India and wife of former CEO of the federation, late Harish Sharma, was unanimously elected to the top post.
Roopam's appointment as CEO was decided by the steering committee members of the federation who voted unanimously in her favour.
"It was my husband's vision to put the game on a high pedestal and has already taken basketball to a new level by signing a long-term deal with IMG-Reliance," she told TOI from New Delhi.
"Now, it will be my endeavour to take the game to even greater heights with the help of all my colleagues in the BFI."
The former hoopster, who has played the game at the college level, also said, "What Harish did is very difficult to replicate. But we, in the BFI, will strive hard to complete all the projects he envisioned with the same sincerity and dedication."
"The challenges are enormous but with my experience, having been associated with the game as an organizer and the inputs Harish has shared with me, I will be able to meet them," Roopam signed off.