India's First Woman Olympic Medalist To Be 1st Vice-Chancellor Of Delhi's Sports University

Malleshwari is an Indian weight-lifter who had won a bronze medal at the Sydney Olympics 2000. She also won a Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award in 1995 for her splendid performances.

Image: AFP

New Delhi: In a landmark decision, Delhi Chief-minister Arvind Kejriwal announced that India's first woman Olympic medalist, Karnam Malleshwari will be the 1st Vice-Chancellor of Delhi Govt's Sports University.

Malleshwari is an Indian weight-lifter who had won a bronze medal at the Sydney Olympics 2000. She also won a Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award in 1995 for her splendid performances. She also won the Padma Shri award n 1999. She had announced her retirement after the 2004 Athens Olympics after she was not able to win a medal during that tournament. 

Arvind Kejriwal, in a tweet, informed about this news. He wrote: "Delhi Sports University is starting. Our big dream has come true. I am extremely proud to say that Olympic medalist Karnam Malleswari ji will be the first Vice-Chancellor. Met with him today and discussed it in detail." Even Deputy CM, Maish Sisodia said, "With her experience and expertise aim to produce many more Olympic medalists who will make India proud."

This is a positive step towards the development of sports in the country. "It is our aim to provide multidisciplinary teaching and training in sports to ensure sports professionals are better prepared for a wide range of employment opportunities. This university will also promote public health through sports in academia and make it more accessible to the public," Manish Sisodia had said after the Delhi government passed a bill and proposed the Delhi Sports University. (DSU)

"If we do this, then our sports talents will leave no stone unturned to bring in more medals in international sporting events like Olympics," said the deputy CM.