Five Indian Olympic sportspersons who became politicians

These players have served the sport as well as the executive role gracefully.

Many sportspersons after their retirement have gotten into politics and sports administration. The athletes have represented the country at various Olympics, Commonwealth and Asian Games. After getting a good reputation as sports stars the athletes try to engage with their fans by getting into politics. Some become very successful and others not being successful as well. In this article let us look at the top five athletes to turn politicians.

Aslam Sher Khan

The 69-year-old Aslam Sher Khan is a former hockey player representing India for over a decade. Aslam Khan was part of the title-winning 1975 World Cup team under the guidance of captain Vasudevan Baskaran. He also represented India in the 1976 Montreal Olympics and his father late Ahmed Sher Khan played in the 1936 Berlin Olympics held in Italy. Adolf Hitler asked Major Dhyan Chand to join the German Army in the same 1936 Olympics.

After an excellent career, he became a Lok Sabha member in the 1984 General Elections from Betul Constituency in Madhya Pradesh. He then shifted to BJP (Bhartiya Janata Party) in 1997 and was part for only two years.

Vijender Singh

Vijender Singh Beniwal won the famous 2008 Beijing Olympic Bronze medallist, becoming the first Indian boxer to win an Olympic medal. Apart from winning at the Olympics the experienced boxer has won multiple Commonwealth Games medals and is a bronze medallist at the World Championships in 2009. 

Vijender has participated in three Olympics ( 2004 Athens, 2008 Beijing, and 2012 London). He could have participated in the 2016 Rio as well but became a professional ruling him out to play for India at the Olympics. Singh received India’s fourth highest civilian honour Padma Shri for his achievements in sports.

He joined the Indian National Congress in 2019 but could not win a seat in the South Delhi constituency.

Dr. Karni Singh

Dr Karni Singh became the first Indian to participate in five Olympic Games ranging across two decades from 1960 to 1980.  His best positions in the competition were eighth in 1960 and tenth in 1968. Karni Singh has represented India in many World Championships, Commonwealth Games, and the Asian Games where he won a gold medal as well. He was a highly decorated shooter for India at that time in skeet.

Dr Karni Singh served as a Lok Sabha member for 25 long years from 1952 to 1977. He was also the Maharaja of Bikaner state from 1950 until 1971 when the royal titles were abolished. 

Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore

Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore from Rajasthan won the silver medal at the 2004 Athens Olympic in shooting (double trap) and was an army officer as well. In the 2002 Commonwealth Games Rathore won a gold medal and set a new Commonwealth Games Record of 192 targets out of 200, which still stands. He was actively taking part in shooting till 2011 and after that shifted his focus to politics.

In the year 2005, he was honoured with India’s fourth highest civilian honour the Padma Shri. Singh joined the Bhartiya Janata Party in 2013 and was elected as an MP in the 2014 Lok Sabha election.

Dilip Tirkey

Dilip Tirkey is a former hockey star having represented India more than 400 times and is also the first Indian to do so. Recently he was elected as the President of Hockey India succeeding Gyanendro Ningombam and was previously a sports administrator as well. He also became the first tribal to receive the Padma Shri.

Dilip Tirkey made his debut for India in 1995 against England and was regarded as one of the best defenders and penalty corner specialists during his time. He was among the few Indians to take part in Pakistan Hockey Super League (SHL).

He joined Biju Janata Dal his home state party. In 2012 he became the Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha. In 2014 he also contested in the Lok Sabha Elections from the Sundergarh constituency.