Bhubaneswat: Odisha Sports Journalists Association (OSJA) bagged two posts in the elections of the office-bearers of the Sports Journalists Federation of India (SJFI), which was held for a two-year term (2025-2027) during the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the National body in Bhubaneswar on Sunday.
OSJA secretary Suresh Swain was elected as one of the four vice-presidents, while OSJA president Sandeep Mishra emerged winner as one of the seven executive committee members. Saraju Chakraborty (Tripura Sports Journalists Club) and Ramesh Varikuppala (Telangana Sports Journalists Association) were elected as the new president and secretary respectively.
The AGM also unanimously decided to confer the prestigious SJFI Medal 2024 on Indian chess icon and first Grandmaster Viswanathan Anand for his outstanding contribution to the development of chess in India for a period of four decades.
Anand will receive the SJFI Medal that has been previously bestowed upon greats of our country like Vijay Amritraj (Tennis), Prakash Padukone (Badminton), Sunil Gavaskar (Cricket), Milkha Singh (Athletics, posthumous) and P T Usha (Athletics).
ELECTED SJFI OFFICE-BEARERS FOR 2025-2027:
President: Saraju Chakraborty (Tripura Sports Journalists Club).
Vice-Presidents (4): Naresh Shelke (Sports Journalists Association of Nagpur), Sabi Hussain (Delhi Sports Journalists Association), S Dipak Ragav (Tamil Nadu Sports Journalists Association), Suresh Swain (Odisha Sports Journalists Association).
Secretary: Ramesh Varikuppala (Telangana (Telangana Sports Journalists Association).
Joint-Secretary: Partha Chakraborty (Assam Sports Journalists Association)
Treasurer: Sanjay Gharpure (Sports Journalists Association of Mumbai).
Executive Committee Members (7): Atul J Loke (SJA of Mumbai), Imtiaz Ahmed (Assam SJA), Rajesh Kumar C K (Kerala SJA), Sabu Cheriyaan (SJA of Gujarat), Sandeep Mishra (Odisha SJA), Suprabhat Debnath (Tripura SJC), Swaroop Swaminathan (Tamil Nadu SJA).
