Sports Ministry nominates Dravid and Nehwal for 2030 Ahmedabad CWG committee
The two sporting icons have been nominated as athlete representatives for the proposed Organising Committee.
Rahul Dravid and Saina Nehwal have been nominated as athlete representatives for the 2030 Commonwealth Games Organising Committee in Ahmedabad. The committee is expected to have 12 to 15 members.
Key takeaways
- Rahul Dravid and Saina Nehwal nominated as athlete representatives
- Committee expected to be headed by Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi
- OC expected to have 12 to 15 members
- Operational cost estimated at Rs 3,000 to Rs 5,000 crore
- Sports Ministry committed Rs 2,000 crore in grant aid
Former India cricket captain Rahul Dravid and Olympic bronze medalist Saina Nehwal have been nominated by the Sports Ministry as athlete representatives in the proposed Organising Committee for the 2030 Commonwealth Games in Ahmedabad.
A Sports Ministry source told PTI: "Yes, Rahul Dravid and Saina Nehwal have been nominated for the proposed organising committee. " The committee is expected to have 12 to 15 members in all and will be officially announced soon.
Committee structure and leadership
Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi, who holds the sports portfolio and was active during the bidding process, is expected to head the Organising Committee. The committee will also have representation from the Indian Olympic Association, and will feature a Commonwealth Games Federation representative in Lt.
Gen. Harpal Singh. Besides a chairman, the OC will also have a vice chairman, a CEO, and representatives from Commonwealth Sport, the governing body of the Games.
The Organising Committee will be a not-for-profit company, a model recommended by the Comptroller and Auditor General after the 2010 CWG in Delhi.
Cost, disciplines, and background
The operational cost for the Ahmedabad CWG is expected to be around Rs 3,000 to Rs 5,000 crore. The Sports Ministry has committed a grant in aid of Rs 2000 crore that will be released as and when a demand is raised by the Gujarat government.
This does not include funds for capital expenditure that will go into building other infrastructure, some of it being handled by the urban development department. Ahmedabad is anticipated to be officially awarded the hosting rights in November 2025, with committee formation planned for earlier this year.
India plans to have 15 to 17 disciplines on the roster. The Glasgow Games featured only 10 disciplines.
The nominated members
Saina Nehwal, the 2012 London Olympics bronze medallist, has become a member of the ruling BJP after retiring from the sport. Dravid, after retiring from cricket, has been a coach and guided the national team to the 2024 T20 World Cup trophy.
While Torrent Pharmaceuticals head Jinal Mehta is the chairman of Gujarat Titans, Ananya Birla is associated with the group that owns Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
The CWG, which was significantly scaled down for this year's Glasgow edition due to paucity of funds, is expected to be a grand affair when it comes to Ahmedabad.
Key figures for the 2030 Ahmedabad Commonwealth Games
Detail | Value |
|---|---|
Expected committee members | 12 to 15 |
Expected operational cost (Rs crore) | 3,000 to 5,000 |
Ministry grant aid (Rs crore) | 2,000 |
Expected disciplines | 15 to 17 |
Glasgow disciplines | 10 |
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