The Union Government has established the Search-cum Selection Committee for the National Sports Board under the National Sports Board (Search-cum Selection Committee) Rules, 2026, as per the National Sports Governance Act, 2025. Dr. T.V. Somanathan, the Cabinet Secretary, will lead the committee, which includes Hari Ranjan Rao, Secretary (Sports), Lt General (Retd) Harpal Singh (Indian Olympic Association), Sports Administrator, and National Sports Awardees Gagan Narang and N. Kunjurani Devi.
This committee’s primary responsibility is to suggest a list of candidates for the Chairperson and Two Members of the Board, chosen based on their abilities, integrity, and expertise in public administration, sports governance, sports law, and related fields. The Ministry’s formation of the Search-cum-Selection Committee initiates the process of appointing the Chairperson and Members of the National Sports Board, which will oversee the recognition of National Sports Bodies and ensure adherence to governance, financial, and ethical standards.
The National Sports Governance (National Sports Board) Rules, 2026, and the National Sports Governance (National Sports Tribunal) Rules, 2026, were recently notified by the Centre under the National Sports Governance Act, 2025, to establish a regulatory framework and dispute resolution mechanism in Indian sports. The National Sports Board, as per the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, will serve as the central authority for granting recognition to National Sports Bodies and monitoring their compliance with governance, financial, and ethical standards. The Board will consist of a chairperson and two members appointed by the central government from a panel recommended by the Search-cum-Selection Committee, as per the rules notified in 2026.
