Gandhinagar, Sep 2 (IANS) Prashant Singh’s appointment as Regional Director of the Sports Authority of India’s (SAI) Regional Centre in Gandhinagar will place the focus on strengthening the sporting pipeline across Gujarat and Rajasthan, from grassroots talent identification to high-performance and podium-level preparation.
Singh, who hails from Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh, has been appointed to oversee SAI’s regional operations in the two states.
He brings more than 10 years of experience in sports administration, covering sports policy and programme implementation, athlete development, major sporting events, sports science and athlete-support systems, communications, public engagement and institutional development.
He has been associated with the Khelo India Scheme since its inception and was involved in the launch and conduct of the first Khelo India School Games in 2018.
He has worked across more than 10 editions of the Khelo India Games and the 36th National Games, contributing to systems and standard operating procedures for multidisciplinary national sporting events.
His experience also includes work with the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) and the Olympic Cell, including responsibilities relating to Priority Olympic Disciplines with high medal potential at the Olympic Games.
He has served as Sports Development Officer for Athletics, Wrestling, Hockey, Cycling, Fencing and Judo, and contributed to the preparation of Indian teams for the Commonwealth Games 2022, Asian Games and Asian Para Games 2023, and the Paris Olympics and Paralympics 2024.
Singh was also involved in establishing the Central Athlete Injury Management System (CAIMS) in 2021, which was aimed at strengthening injury prevention, diagnosis and rehabilitation for elite and developmental athletes.
The work formed part of the wider development of India’s sports science and athlete-support ecosystem under the National Centre for Sports Science and Research framework.
From 2022, Singh led SAI’s Media Division, overseeing communications, marketing and publicity.
He was involved in major campaigns including #Cheer4India around the Tokyo Olympic cycle, as well as campaigns linked to the Commonwealth Games 2022, Asian Games and Asian Para Games 2023, and Paris Olympics and Paralympics 2024.
He also contributed to the revival and expansion of the Fit India Movement, including the Sundays on Cycle campaign.
He has served as Officer on Special Duty to the SAI Director General and worked with the Olympic Cell on strategic initiatives concerning India’s bids and preparations related to the 2030 Commonwealth Games and 2036 Olympic Games.
He was also associated with the IOC Session held in Mumbai in 2023. His other assignments have included work connected with Khelo Bharat Niti, the National Sports Governance Act 2025 and various strategic initiatives of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports and SAI.
Before taking up the Regional Director’s post, Singh was already stationed in Gandhinagar in a senior management role, overseeing the implementation and functioning of SAI and Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports schemes across Gujarat and Rajasthan.
In his new role, Singh has identified the implementation of the Khelo India Scheme in its new form and strengthening the sporting ecosystem in the two states as immediate priorities.
His approach will cover grassroots participation, talent identification, athlete development and high-performance preparation.
A specific priority will be to develop the National Centre of Excellence (NCOE) Gandhinagar as a leading national centre for Para Sports, with a high-performance ecosystem and stronger pathways for Para athletes.
Singh will also seek to develop NCOE Naranpura into a major venue for national coaching camps across sporting disciplines by making greater use of its infrastructure and location.
SAI schemes are also expected to be expanded across the region, with additional disciplines such as Softball, Baseball and other emerging and Olympic-potential sports brought into the development system.
The stated objective is to broaden the talent pool, improve competitive opportunities and create clearer pathways from grassroots sport to international competition.
Singh’s responsibilities will ultimately cover an athlete-first approach, with emphasis on training and development systems, talent identification, sports science and athlete-support services, institutional effectiveness and opportunities for podium-level performance across Gujarat and Rajasthan.
–IANS
mys/khz