New Delhi: Retired IAS officer Devesh Chaturvedi has been appointed Chairman of the National Sports Board (NSB), the statutory body entrusted with regulating the recognition and governance of National Sports Federations (NSFs) across the country.
Alongside Chaturvedi, former Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) CEO Commodore (Retd.) P K Garg has been appointed as a member of the Board.
The appointments were approved by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC), with both appointees receiving a three-year tenure. Their selection was finalised by a search-cum-selection committee headed by Cabinet Secretary T V Somanathan.
The Board is expected to begin functioning once the appointed officials assume charge. A third member may also be appointed at a later stage.
The appointments mark an important step towards operationalising the sports governance framework established under the National Sports Governance Act, 2025.
Who Is Devesh Chaturvedi?
Devesh Chaturvedi is a retired 1989-batch Indian Administrative Service officer belonging to the Uttar Pradesh cadre.
He retired from government service on February 28, 2026, after serving as Secretary, Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, under the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
He assumed the position in August 2024 and continued in the role until his retirement.
Chaturvedi has held several important administrative assignments in both the Uttar Pradesh Government and the Central Government during his career.
Chaturvedi has an academic background in engineering, industrial management and public policy.
His educational qualifications include:
- Schooling: La Martiniere College, Lucknow.
- BTech: Mechanical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kanpur.
- MTech: Industrial Engineering from IIT Delhi.
- Postgraduate Diploma: Public Policy and Management from the Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Bangalore, completed in 2005.
- PhD: Management Studies from IIT Delhi, awarded in 2013.
He also received the Director’s Gold Medal during his postgraduate programme at IIM Bangalore.
Previous Administrative Positions
During his IAS career, Chaturvedi served in several district-level, state-level and central government assignments.
Some of his notable responsibilities include:
District Magistrate in Uttar Pradesh
He served as District Magistrate in multiple districts, including:
- Pithoragarh
- Deoria
- Bulandshahr
- Kanpur Dehat
- Gorakhpur
- Allahabad (now Prayagraj)
Divisional Commissioner, Allahabad
He served as Commissioner of the Allahabad Division and was associated with the administration of the 2013 Kumbh Mela, one of the largest religious gatherings in the country.
Joint Secretary, Department of Personnel and Training
During his central deputation, he served as Joint Secretary in the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), handling responsibilities relating to services, vigilance and international cooperation.
Additional Chief Secretary, Uttar Pradesh
In the Uttar Pradesh Government, he served as Additional Chief Secretary, handling the Agriculture Department and the Appointments and Personnel Department.
He also held the position of Principal Secretary in the state government.
Secretary, Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare
His last major assignment before retirement was as Secretary in the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, where he served from August 2024 to February 2026.
Who Is P K Garg, Appointed NSB Member?
Commodore (Retd.) P K Garg has also been appointed as a member of the National Sports Board.
He previously served as the Chief Executive Officer of the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS), an initiative of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports aimed at supporting India’s elite athletes and improving their preparations for international sporting competitions.
His appointment brings experience in sports administration and athlete development to the newly constituted Board.
According to the reported government order, Garg and Chaturvedi will hold office for three years.
What Is the National Sports Board and What Powers Will It Have?
The National Sports Board has been established under the National Sports Governance Act, 2025, to oversee the recognition and governance of national sports organisations.
The Union Government notified the National Sports Governance (National Sports Board) Rules, 2026, in May, laying down the Board’s composition, appointment procedure, tenure and service conditions.
Under the framework, the Board will have a Chairperson and two Members.
Its major responsibilities include:
- Recognition of sports bodies: Granting recognition to National Sports Bodies and registering their affiliated units.
- Suspension and cancellation: Suspending or cancelling recognition or registration in cases of violations of the prescribed governance requirements.
- Financial accountability: Examining cases involving misuse or misappropriation of public funds.
- Election oversight: Taking action against sports bodies that fail to conduct executive committee elections or commit serious irregularities in the election process.
- International coordination: Working with international sports bodies to promote sports development and ensure compliance with global governance standards.
- Athlete welfare: Framing a Safe Sports Policy for the protection of women, minor athletes and other relevant groups.
When Can the Board Suspend Recognition?
Under Section 10 of the National Sports Governance Act, 2025, the Board can suspend or cancel recognition in specified circumstances.
These include:
- Failure to conduct elections for an Executive Committee.
- Serious irregularities in election procedures.
- Failure to publish annual audited accounts.
- Misuse, misapplication or misappropriation of public funds.
- Violation of the Act, its rules or the conditions attached to recognition.
Before suspending or cancelling recognition of a National Sports Federation or Regional Sports Federation, the Board must consult the concerned international sports body. The law also provides for an opportunity to address deficiencies or a hearing before a decision.
Furthermore, only sports organisations recognised under the statutory framework will be eligible to receive grants or other financial assistance from the Central Government.
National Sports Board and Other Sports Governance Bodies
The National Sports Board is one of the institutional mechanisms envisaged under the National Sports Governance Act, 2025.
The government has also moved forward with the National Sports Election Panel, which is responsible for supporting free and fair elections in national sports organisations.
The National Sports Governance framework additionally provides for a National Sports Tribunal to adjudicate sports-related disputes.
The formation of the NSB has, however, drawn objections from the Indian Olympic Association (IOA). IOA President P T Usha has expressed concerns that the Board’s establishment could undermine the association’s position in India’s sports governance structure.
The appointment of Chaturvedi and Garg is expected to move the statutory sports governance mechanism closer to full operationalisation.
