New Delhi: India’s six-time winter Olympian Shiva Keshavan has been elected vice-chair, Athletes Committee, of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA).

The panel consists of a chairman and a minimum of five members. The term of the members will be four years. Chinese table tennis legend Ding Ning is the chair of the committee. The OCA held an election for the Athletes Committee for the first time ever at the Hangzhou Asian Games last year and Ding was one of those elected.

Keshavan was inducted during OCA’s general assembly meeting here on Sunday. Ding and Keshavan will be on the OCA executive board as the Athletes Committee representatives. At the OCA meeting, seasoned sports administrator and five-time Olympian Randhir Singh was elected unopposed as president for a four-year term.

“I am deeply honoured to join the OCA Athletes Commission as vice-chair. I look forward to collaborating with our esteemed commission members to create a supportive environment where athletes can thrive and reach their full potential through sport,” Keshavan said.

Keshavan is also in the Indian Olympic Association’s Athletes Commission and was Deputy Chef de Mission of the Indian contingent at the Paris Olympics.

“Asia is experiencing rapid growth and development, The future of sport indeed lies in Asia. I believe India, under the visionary leadership of Randhir Singh ji, is poised to play a significant role in shaping this future. I am excited to contribute to the realisation of President’s vision of ‘One Asia,’ uniting a diverse continent through the shared values of sport, and harnessing the energy of our young population to drive positive change,” he said.