New Delhi: The Sports Ministry on Tuesday, June 23, invited applications for the post of Chairperson and two members in the National Sports Board, which will act as the central authority for granting recognition to sports bodies and ensuring their compliance with governance, and financial standards mandated by the sports law passed last year.

The appointment in the National Sports Board will be made on the recommendations of a Search-cum-Selection Committee headed by cabinet secretary T V Somanathan.

Olympic bronze-winning former shooter Gagan Narang and weightlifting great N Kunjarani Devi are also in the five-member committee. The other members are: Sports Secretary Hari Ranjan Rao, and Indian Olympic Association’s (IOA) Executive Council member Lt General (Retd) Harpal Singh.

The candidates would be required to be “from amongst persons of ability, integrity and standing, having knowledge or practical experience in the field of public administration, sports governance, sports law and other related fields.”

The last date of submission of applications has been set as July 22.

The Sports Ministry is hoping to ensure that the NSB begins operations in the next three months.

In addition to granting affiliation, the National Sports Board will maintain a roster of the National Sports Election Panel and a register of affiliate units of the National Sports Bodies

The Board has also been empowered to specify model guidelines or regulations on sports governance. An age cap of 65 has been set for its members.

The National Sports Governance Act was passed in the Parliament last year after several rounds of deliberations between stakeholders and Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya.

Mandaviya has described it as a game-changer for Indian sports as it puts in place stringent rules and regulations by mandating representation of athletes and women in the Executive Committees of National Sports Federations besides imposing age and tenure caps.