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Mahesh Bhupathi and Sania Mirza filed nominations for AITA Sportsperson of Outstanding Merit elections.
(From left) Leander Paes, Mahesh Bhupathi and Sania Mirza (PTI Photo)
Indian tennis greats Mahesh Bhupathi and Sania Mirza have filed nominations for the AITA Sportsperson of Outstanding Merit (SOM) elections, seeking representation in the General Body (GB) and Executive Committee (EC), while the country’s most successful player Leander Paes surprisingly did not file his nomination for the November 7 polls.
The absence of Paes, the only player featuring in Tier I of the 40-player roster, from the nominations list means that he can’t run for AITA Presidency.
Headed by Paes himself, the Bengal Tennis Association (BTA) had publicly backed his candidature for the post of AITA president.
However, Paes needed to win the SOM election to stand as presidential candidate because he is still ineligible to contest as a state representative.
He can still participate in the November 27 AITA polls as Bengal representative but can’t contest as per the amended AITA constitution.
According to Rule 12 (B): A person shall not be qualified to contest for election or seek nomination to, the posts of the President or the Secretary General or the Treasurer, unless such person is (i) a SOM GB Representative, or (ii) has previously served as a member for at least one full term in the Executive Committee of AITA on any post, or (iii) has previously served as the President, or the Secretary General or the Treasurer in any of its State Affiliate units.
Eight candidates file nomination for SOM polls
According to the list of nominations, apart from Bhupathi and Sania, six other former players have filed their nominations.
“I think every federation needs players who have played at the highest level to help transform the sport, a case in point is what Gopi (P Gopichand) has done for badminton has been transformational,” Bhupathi told PTI.
They face competition from Ankita Bhambri, current Davis Cup coach Ashutosh Singh, Gaurav Natekar, Janaki Krishnamoorthy, Shalini Thakur Chawla and current Billie Jean King Cup captain Vishal Uppal.
The Executive Committee list has five nominees — Bhupathi, Sania, Ankita, Janaki and Uppal.
“As someone who is deep rooted in the ground realities of Indian Tennis, it is important for me to put my hands up and contribute to Indian tennis in a greater way,” Uppal told PTI
“I have been working hard, doing my bit, but there is a lot more that needs to be done and I am committed to working tirelessly, engaging with all the stakeholders and bringing the changes Indian tennis needs to grow and thrive,” he added.
The amended AITA Constitution provides for four SOM representatives on the General Body (two men and two women) and two SOM representatives on the 15-member Executive Committee (one man and one woman).
The SOM framework is part of the broader effort to provide sportspersons with a role in the governance of national sports federations under the new sports governance rules.
Bhupathi, a former world number one in doubles and winner of multiple Grand Slam titles, was one of India’s most successful players on the international circuit.
Sania, also a former world number one in doubles, won six Grand Slam titles across women’s doubles and mixed doubles and became one of the country’s most prominent tennis stars.
Quick Answers
Ask News18Leander Paes surprisingly did not file his nomination for the November 7 SOM polls, which means he can no longer run for the AITA Presidency. Although the Bengal Tennis Association backed his presidential candidature, Paes needed to win the SOM election to qualify because he is ineligible to contest as a state representative under the amended AITA constitution.
Ask News18About the Author
Feroz Khan has been covering sports for over 12 years now and is currently working with Network18 as Principal Correspondent. He embarked on his journey in 2011 and has since acquired vast experience …Read More
October 26, 2026, 1:57 pm IST
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