Shimla, Oct 5 – Anurag Thakur, the former union minister and current MP for Hamirpur, has been unanimously elected as the President of the Himachal Pradesh Olympic Association during the association’s Annual General Meeting held in Shimla.

Virender Kanwar, the outgoing president, has been appointed as the chief patron of the association. Balbir Verma, the MLA from Chopal, has been elected as the senior vice president. Rajesh Bhandari takes on the role of general secretary, while Amitabh Sharma has been appointed as treasurer.

The association’s new leadership team includes Ishwar Rohal, Usha Barowalia, and Narender Atri as vice presidents. Additionally, Raj Kumar Nittu, Dr. Rahul Pathania, and Ramesh Chauhan have been named joint secretaries.

In his address, Thakur emphasized key priorities for the association, including the need to enhance sports infrastructure throughout the state, increase the availability of qualified coaches for training athletes in all Olympic disciplines, and promote grassroots participation to identify and nurture emerging talent.

Thakur also discussed the importance of establishing a self-sustaining model for the development and management of Olympic sports within the state. He highlighted Himachal Pradesh’s unique natural potential as a hub for high-altitude and endurance sports, advocating for these disciplines to receive special attention in the state’s sports development strategy.

He congratulated the newly elected office bearers and expressed confidence in their collective efforts to enhance the sports ecosystem in Himachal Pradesh, ensuring a transparent, effective, and visionary administration.