Former Indian tennis stars Mahesh Bhupathi and Sania Mirza. Photo credit: Special Arrangement Former Indian tennis stars Mahesh Bhupathi and Sania Mirza are among the four Sportspersons of Outstanding Merit (SOM) elected to the All India Tennis Association (AITA) governing body.Bhupathi secured the highest number of votes with 19, followed by Mirza with 18.
Ashutosh Singh polled 17 votes, while Shalini Thakur Chawla received 16 votes to complete the list of four elected candidates.The other candidates in the fray were Janaki Krishnamoorthy (15), Vishal Uppal (9), Gaurav Natekar (8), and Ankita Bhambri (7).As per the amended AITA constitution, four SOM representatives, comprising two men and two women, are elected to the general body. The 40-member SOM roster, drawn up under the National Sports Governance Act, comprises 20 male and 20 female former players.The SOM representation is part of the broader sports governance reforms aimed at giving accomplished sportspersons a greater role in the administration of national sports federations.
Published - November 05, 2026 04:40 pm IST