Punit Balan Elected Unopposed President of Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India
Pune/Ranchi, 22nd June 2026: Entrepreneur and sports administrator Punit Balan has been elected unopposed as the President of the Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India (AKFI) for the 2026–2030 term.
The elections for the new executive committee were held in Ranchi, Jharkhand, on Sunday in the presence of representatives from 22 state associations affiliated with the federation. Along with the election of the president, AKFI announced its 22-member executive committee, comprising office-bearers from various states across the country.
Balan, a Maharashtra-based industrialist and sports promoter, will lead the federation for the next four years. Former Member of Parliament from Vidarbha, Ramdas Tadas, was appointed President Emeritus, while Bihar’s Rajkumar Singh was named Chief Patron.
Ushi Reddy from Telangana was elected as the General Secretary. Several other key positions in the federation and executive committee were also filled unopposed, with representatives from different states securing various roles.
The election process was overseen by former High Court judge Justice Ratnakar Bhengra, who served as the election officer. Retired District Judge Pankaj Srivastava, acting as assistant election officer, supervised the proceedings.
Among those present at the event were AKFI officials Arun Singh, Dr Rajesh Gupta, Vivek Reddy, Rahul Singh, Chetan Govind Jha, Rajesh Singh, Manoj Sharma, Kunal M. Tripathi, Sammy Singh, Sujal Kesari and Pradeep Tirkey, among others.
Balan is widely recognised for his continued support for sports initiatives and grassroots development programmes. Members of the federation expressed confidence that his leadership would provide fresh momentum to Indian kabaddi and strengthen the sport’s presence at the national and international levels.
Expressing gratitude after his election, Balan said, “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 our people. We are committed to strengthening the sport globally, creating more opportunities for talented players from rural areas, developing modern training facilities, and encouraging women and young kabaddi players.
“Working together with all office-bearers and state associations, we will strive for the holistic development of Indian kabaddi and ensure greater success for the country at the international level.”
