Randhir Singh, better known as Raja Randhir Singh is a former Olympic-level trap and skeet shooter and he is now serving as the sole representative for India on the International Olympic Committee. He is a 1979 recipient of the Arjuna Award.
Early Life of Randhir Singh
Randhir Singh was born on 18th October in the year 1946 in Patiala. Randhir Singh was born to Raja Bhalindra Singh, son of Maharaja Bhupinder Singh of Patiala. He was educated in Colnel. Brown School, Dehra Dun. Then he graduated in History from St. Stephen`s College, Delhi. In addition to shooting, Randhir Singh enjoys golf, swimming, squash, cricket.
Career of Randhir Singh
Randhir Singh is a former Olympic-level trap and skeet shooter and now sports administrator. He is currently the sole representative for India on the International Olympic Committee. His uncle was a Test cricketer, Maharaja Yadavindra Singh who played an important part in lobbying for and then organizing the first Asian Games in 1951 in Delhi. His father Raja Bhalender Singh was a member of the IOC from 1947 to 1992 and helped bring the 9th Asian Games back to New Delhi in 1982. He made his competitive senior shooting debut as an eighteen-year-old when he was part of the winning trap shooting team at the Indian National Championships in 1964. His team defended the title the next year and Randhir Singh won his first national individual title in 1967 in skeet. Randhir Singh went on to win multiple titles at national level in both skeet and trap shooting. Randhir Singh became the first Indian shooter to win continental gold at the 1978 Asian Games in Bangkok. Randhir Singh won team silver at the 1982 Asian Games in New Delhi.
Later Career of Randhir Singh
Randhir Singh competed at five Olympic Games from 1968 to 1984 in Mixed Trap. He was the second Indian, after Karni Singh, to compete at five Olympics. His best Olympic performance was 17th at the 1968 Olympics, two points behind Karni Singh and four points from bronze. Randhir Singh also competed at four Asian Games, winning a medal of each colour.
Randhir Singh as a Sports Administrator
Randhir Singh was Founder Secretary General of the Afro-Asian Games Council from the year 1998 to 2007. He led the organization of the only Afro-Asian Games in Hyderabad, which is now in Telangana and the capital city of both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana in 2003. Randhir Singh was involved in bringing the 2010 Commonwealth Games to India, and had been the Vice Chairman of the Organizing Committee. He is the only senior office bearer of the controversial Organizing committee who has so far enjoyed clean image unlike many others. Randhir Singh has been Secretary General of the Indian Olympic Association since 1987, Secretary General of Olympic Council of Asia since 1991, and member of the International Olympic Committee from 2001 to 2014, and member of the Association of National Olympic Committees Executive Board since 2002. Recently he was re-elected for the sixth time at the Secretary General of the OCA. He has also served as member of the World Anti-Doping Agency Foundation Board (2003-2005) and on the following commissions: Olympic Games Study (2002-2003), Sport for All (2004- till now), Women and Sport (2006-till now), Coordination for the 1st Summer Youth Olympic Games in Singapore in 2010 (2008-till now); Olympic Truce Foundation (2007- till now).
Personal Life of Randhir Singh
Randhir Singh is married to Rani Uma Kumari of Sirmur. The couple is blessed with three children.
