We Regret to inform you that ex Jalandhar MP and current President of the Athletics Federation of India (AFI), Umrao Singh passed away at his Jalandhar residence early on Sunday morning following a brief illness. He was 83.
One of the most experienced sports administrators in the country, Umrao Singh’s association with athletics dates back to 1958. He was the president of the athletics federation in 1968 and then again between 1972 and 1976 when he was also a member of the Council of the International Amateur Athletics Federation (IAAF).
He held several posts in the Amateur Athletics Federation of India (AAFI, now AFI) after that before stepping in as its acting president in 2005 when Mr. Suresh Kalmadi resigned. Umrao Singh was elected president of the AFI in 2008, despite failing health, and retained that post in 2008.
Umrao Singh was also associated with the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) as its vice president and has been one of its associate vice presidents for some time now.
Conferred with the Padma Bhushan in 1983 for his contribution to the successful conduct of the 1982 New Delhi Asian Games, He was also a minister in the Punjab Government under the late Beant Singh before becoming a Member of Parliament in the 90s.
Born on January 1, 1926 at Guru Har Sahai, Firozepur District, Punjab, Umrao Singh’s first love was hockey. He captained the N.A.C High School, Bhurewal, in 1943 and then played for S. N. College and F.C. College, Lahore. In the 1946-47 season, he represented Punjab University.
It was through his initiative that in 1975 the Punjab Government invited the Indian hockey team to train in Chandigarh under its expenditure. The rest is history as the Ajitpal Singh-led Indian team won its one and only World Cup to date in Kuala Lumpur.
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