Prashant Singh appointed new Regional Director, SAI Regional Centre Gandhinagar

Rakesh Thapliyal 

New Delhi: Prashant Singh has been appointed as Regional Director, SAI Regional Centre Gandhinagar, with responsibility for Sports Authority of India’s regional operations across Gujarat and Rajasthan.

Hailing from Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, Singh brings with him over 10 years of experience in sports administration, having worked across diverse areas of India’s sports ecosystem, including sports policy and programme implementation, athlete development, major sporting events, sports science and athlete support systems, sports communications, public engagement and institutional development.

Singh has been closely associated with the Khelo India Scheme since its inception, including the launch and conduct of the first-ever Khelo India School Games in 2018. Having worked across more than 10 editions of Khelo India Games and the 36th National Games in various functional capacities, he has contributed to the development of systems and SOPs for the planning and conduct of multidisciplinary national sporting events.

His experience in elite sport includes significant responsibilities within the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) and Olympic Cell, including work on Priority Olympic Disciplines focusing on disciplines with high medal potential at the Olympic Games. He has also served as Sports Development Officer for disciplines including Athletics, Wrestling, Hockey, Cycling, Fencing and Judo, and contributed to the preparation of Indian teams for the Commonwealth Games 2022, Asian Games and Asian Para Games 2023, and Paris Olympics and Paralympics 2024.

Singh played a key role in the establishment of the Central Athlete Injury Management System (CAIMS) in 2021, aimed at strengthening injury prevention, diagnosis and rehabilitation systems for elite and developmental athletes. This work contributed to the broader strengthening and evolution of India’s sports science and athlete-support ecosystem under the National Centre for Sports Science and Research (NCSSR) framework. He has also contributed to strengthening the domestic competition structure, including initiatives such as the Khelo India Women’s League, and to the evolution of the Khelo India Revamped Scheme.

From 2022 onwards, Singh headed the Media Division of SAI, overseeing communications, marketing and publicity, and was instrumental in conceptualising and executing major national campaigns including #Cheer4India for the Tokyo Olympic cycle, Commonwealth Games 2022, Asian Games and Asian Para Games 2023, and Paris Olympics and Paralympics 2024. He has also played a key role in the revival and expansion of the Fit India Movement, including the Sundays on Cycle campaign, which has developed into a nationwide public participation initiative.

He has served as Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to the Director General, SAI, and has worked closely with the Olympic Cell on strategic initiatives including India’s bids and preparations related to the 2030 Commonwealth Games and 2036 Olympic Games, besides contributing to the successful conduct of the IOC Session 2023 in Mumbai. He has also been associated with major national sports initiatives including Khelo Bharat Niti and the National Sports Governance Act 2025, as well as various strategic assignments of the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports and SAI.

Prior to his appointment as Regional Director, Singh was posted at Gandhinagar in a senior management role, where he was responsible for the implementation and functioning of various SAI and Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports schemes across Gujarat and Rajasthan.

As Regional Director, SAI Regional Centre Gandhinagar, Singh will lead the regional sports ecosystem across Gujarat and Rajasthan, with an emphasis on an athlete-first approach, strengthening training and development systems, expanding talent identification and development pathways, leveraging sports science and athlete-support systems, and creating greater opportunities for podium-level performance.

The appointment brings together Singh’s extensive experience across grassroots sport, elite athlete development, sports policy, major sporting events, sports communications and sports administration, as he assumes leadership of SAI’s regional operations in Gujarat and Rajasthan.