Leander Paes AITA President Election
For nearly six months, speculation has been rife over whether Olympic medallist and Indian tennis legend Leander Paes would make his electoral debut after joining the BJP ahead of the Assembly elections. The uncertainty has now ended. Paes is set to enter an electoral contest, but not in electoral politics. His next battle will be in sports administration.
Paes joined the BJP towards the end of March this year in the presence of Union Minister Kiren Rijiju and former West Bengal BJP president Sukanta Majumdar. Before joining the party, the former tennis star had also met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP national president Nitin Nabin.
His entry into the BJP immediately triggered speculation about whether he would contest the Assembly elections. Paes featured prominently in the BJP’s campaign in Bengal, but was ultimately not given a ticket.
The Assembly election was followed by another round of speculation about Paes’ political future. There was talk that the former tennis star could potentially be given a ministerial role in the Narendra Modi government. That, however, has not happened so far.
Instead, Paes appears to be moving deeper into sports administration.
He has already made his presence felt in the sector, winning last year’s Bengal Tennis Association election and becoming its president. Now, his sights are reportedly set on the top post at the All India Tennis Association.
According to reports, Paes has already applied to be included in the Sports Persons of Outstanding Merit roster. Following that, the Bengal tennis body has proposed his name as a candidate for the AITA president’s post.
Paes could face Rohit Rajpal in the contest, setting up an interesting battle for the leadership of Indian tennis administration.
His move into sports administration is significant given his stature in Indian sport. A multiple-time Grand Slam champion and Olympic medallist, Paes remains one of India’s most recognisable tennis personalities.
Paes’ decision to enter sports administration also comes at a time when India is pursuing its ambition of hosting the 2036 Olympic Games and strengthening its long-term Olympic programme.
The proposed Mission Olympic 2036 is aimed at improving India’s sporting ecosystem and significantly increasing the country’s medal tally at the Olympics. One of the stated ambitions is for India to target at least 100 medals at the 2036 Games.
Against this backdrop, there has been speculation that Paes could eventually be given a senior role in the country’s Olympic programme. His international sporting experience, administrative ambitions and profile could make him a potentially important figure in India’s preparations.
For now, however, Paes’ immediate target is clear: the All India Tennis Association election. After months of political speculation, India’s tennis legend is finally entering an electoral contest—but on the sports field rather than the political one.
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