Suresh Kalmadi, long-time IOA chief and face of CWG 2010, dies at 81

NEW DELHI: Former Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president and veteran sports administrator Suresh Kalmadi passed away at a hospital here in the early hours of Tuesday. He was 81.Kalmadi, who had been unwell for some time, died at around 3.30 am. He is survived by his wife, a son and daughter-in-law, two married daughters and a son-in-law, along with grandchildren.A towering presence in Indian sports administration for over two decades, Kalmadi served as IOA president from 1996 to 2011, making him one of the longest-serving heads of the country’s apex Olympic body.Born in 1944, Kalmadi began his professional career as a fighter pilot in the Indian Air Force and took part in both the 1965 and 1971 wars. He later transitioned into politics and sports administration.A Congress leader, he represented Pune in the Lok Sabha on multiple occasions and also served as a Union minister, while steadily strengthening his standing within Indian and international sports bodies.During his tenure as IOA president, Kalmadi wielded considerable influence at a time when Indian sport was expanding its presence on the global stage. He also served as president of the Asian Athletics Association and was a member of the IAAF Council, making him one of India’s most influential sports administrators internationally.Under his leadership at the IOA, India achieved a historic milestone at the 2008 Beijing Olympics when shooter Abhinav Bindra won the nation’s first-ever individual Olympic gold medal. Kalmadi was also chairman of the Organising Committee for the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi.Beyond his national and international roles, Kalmadi was closely associated with the development of athletics and sports infrastructure in Pune. He played a key role in initiatives such as the Pune International Marathon, which went on to become a regular fixture on India’s road-running calendar.