Aadhav Arjuna, the president of the Tamil Nadu Basketball Association (TNBA), emerged victorious in the election held at Nehru Stadium and secured the position of president of the Basketball Federation of India (BFI). Aadhav garnered an impressive 38 out of the 39 votes, defeating the incumbent president, K Govindaraj.
Kulvinder Singh Gill, a former player and the president of the Madhya Pradesh Basketball Association, was elected as the secretary general.
Historically, few leaders have been appointed without going through an election process over the past three decades. However, this time, we conducted the election under the supervision of the Supreme Court and emerged triumphant. The reforms implemented under my leadership have significantly elevated the performance of Tamil Nadu’s basketball teams, making them the top contenders in India.
The office bearers:
President: Aadhav Arjuna; Vice presidents: Ajay Ssud, Donald Steven Wahlang, Dr. Lalrinawma Hnamte, Manohara Kumar, Norman Isaac, Fr. Ralin De Souza, Seema Sharma; Secretary General: Kulvinder Singh Gill; Treasurer: T Chengalraya Naidu; Joint secretaries: G Chakravarthi, Munish Sharma, Pradeep Kumar Auddi, Prakash Sandou, Surya Singh.
Executive committee:
RS Bedi, C Sasidharan, Sentiningsang Longkumer, T Brajbidhu Singh.
About the Basketball Federation of India (BFI)
The Basketball Federation of India (BFI) is the governing body of basketball in India. It was founded in 1950 and is affiliated to FIBA Asia and the Indian Olympic Association.
The history of basketball in India can be traced back to the early 1900s, when the game was introduced by Christian missionaries and YMCAs. The first national basketball championships were held in 1934, and India became a member of FIBA in 1936.
The BFI has been responsible for the development and promotion of basketball in India. It organizes national and international tournaments, and provides training and support to players and coaches. The BFI has also played a role in the growth of the Indian basketball league, the Universal Basketball Alliance (UBA).
The BFI has faced some challenges in recent years, including a lack of funding and a shortage of qualified coaches. However, the federation is committed to growing the game of basketball in India, and it has made some progress in recent years.
Here are some of the key events in the history of the Basketball Federation of India:
- 1934: First national basketball championships are held in New Delhi.
- 1936: India becomes a member of FIBA.
- 1950: Basketball Federation of India is founded.
- 1970: India hosts the FIBA Asia Championship.
- 1982: India hosts the Asian Games.
- 2015: Universal Basketball Alliance (UBA) is founded.
- 2017: UBA folds after four seasons.
- 2022: Elite Pro Basketball League (EPBL) and the developmental Indian National Basketball League (INBL) are launched.
The Basketball Federation of India is committed to growing the game of basketball in India. It is working to improve the infrastructure for basketball, increase the number of players and coaches, and promote the game at the grassroots level. The BFI is also working to improve India’s international ranking, and it hopes to qualify for the 2024 Summer Olympics.