Legendary former track and field athlete P.T. Usha and members of the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) are mourning the death of Suresh Kalmadi, a seasoned sports administrator and former president of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), who passed away in Pune. Kalmadi, aged 81, is survived by his wife, Meera Kalmadi, as well as his daughters and son.
Kalmadi was a prominent leader in Indian sports administration, serving as president of both the AFI and the Asian Athletics Association. He held the position of IOA president for more than a decade.
Current IOA chair, P.T. Usha, expressed her condolences on X, stating, “As IOA President, I am saddened by the demise of former IOA President Shri. Suresh Kalmadi ji. He was also President of AFI for nearly two decades, where he introduced numerous developmental programs for the growth of Athletics in India. My condolences to his family! Om Shanti!”
Bahadur Singh Sagoo, president of AFI, remarked, “He will always be remembered as a dedicated and inspirational sports administrator whose unwavering commitment to the cause of Indian athletics has left an indelible mark. He also made efforts to initiate Railway travel concessions for sportspersons.”
Lalit Bhanot, former secretary of AFI, added, “His (Kalmadi’s) contribution to Indian sports will be remembered for a long time. He revived the National Games, which helped build modern infrastructure across the country. He introduced prize money track-and-field permit meets in the early 1990s and invited elite foreign athletes, including Olympic champions like Carl Lewis and Mike Powell, which changed the concept of sports in the country.”
Kalmadi served as president of the Indian athletics federation from 1987 to 2006 and was a member of the World Athletics Council. He also led the Asian athletics organization for nearly ten years, beginning in 2000.
During his presidency at the IOA from 1996 to 2012, Kalmadi played a crucial role in organizing the Afro-Asian Games in Andhra Pradesh. He was instrumental in transforming Indian sports broadly and athletics specifically during his long tenure. Additionally, he served as the chairman of the organizing committee for the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi.