Home / Sports / Indian Sports Icon Raja Randhir Singh Dies at 79
Indian Sports Icon Raja Randhir Singh Dies at 79
28 May
Summary
- Renowned shooter and five-time Olympian Raja Randhir Singh passed away at 79.
- He served as IOA secretary general for 25 years.
- Singh won Asian Games gold and held IOC membership.
Raja Randhir Singh, a distinguished five-time Olympian, accomplished shooter, and influential sports administrator, passed away on Wednesday at the age of 79. Singh, who was battling age-related ailments, was the first cousin of former Punjab chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh.
As a trap-and-skeet shooter, Randhir Singh achieved significant success, including a gold medal at the 1978 Asian Games in Bangkok and another gold at the 1st Asian Clay Target Shooting Championship in Japan in 1981. He was also part of the silver medal-winning Indian team at the 1982 Asian Games and secured an individual bronze.
Beyond his shooting prowess, Singh made indelible contributions to sports administration. He held the position of secretary general for the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) from 1987 to 2012 and for the Olympic Council of Asia from 1991 to 2015. Furthermore, he served as a member of the International Olympic Committee between 2001 and 2014.
Numerous figures from the sports fraternity, including Abhinav Bindra, Pargat Singh, and Gurbir Singh Sandhu, have shared heartfelt tributes, remembering Randhir Singh for his warmth, dignity, and unwavering support for the Olympic movement. His daughter, Olympian shooter Rajeshwari, continues his sporting legacy.
