Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar has nominated legendary former athlete PT Usha to the panel of vice-chairperson in the upper house of the Parliament. YSRCP member Vijai Sai Reddy has also been nominated along with her, news agency IANS reported.
Announcing the decision, Jagdeep Dhankar said, "This is the first time a nominated member has been appointed in the panel."
PT Usha was also elected as the president of the Indian Olympic Association recently. The 58-year-old Usha, a multiple Asian Games gold medallist and fourth-place finisher in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics 400m hurdles final, was declared elected unopposed for the top post in the polls being held under the supervision of Supreme Court-appointed retired SC judge L Nageswara Rao.
The elevation of Usha to the top job will also mark the end of the long-drawn crisis in the faction-ridden IOA, which was warned of a possible suspension by the International Olympic Committee if elections, originally due in December last year, are not held this month.
IOC member Nita Ambani also wished PT Usha and said, "Delighted to see so many women representatives in Indian Olympic Association's Executive Council".
The Committee of Asia (OCA) gave its stamp of approval to the newly-elected body of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) following its recent elections. The two governing bodies also congratulated the IOA president PT Usha through a letter dated December 16, reported PTI.
"We took note of the outcomes of the IOA elections and wish to extend our sincerest congratulations to you on your election as President of the Indian Olympic Association and to all Executive Council members elected on this occasion," the letter said.
The letter was jointly issued by James Macleod, Director of Olympic Solidarity and NOC Relations of IOC, and Hussain Al-Musallam, Director General & Technical Director of OCA.