IOC mourns Raja Randhir Singh’s death, Olympic flag to fly at half-mast for three days

NEW DELHI: The International Olympic Committee (IOC) mourned the death of its Honorary Member Raja Randhir Singh, describing the former shooter and sports administrator as one of the most influential figures in Asian sport, while announcing that the Olympic flag will be flown at half-mast for three days as a mark of respect.

Raja Randhir Singh, a five-time Olympian and the first Indian to become President of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), died in New Delhi on Wednesday at the age of 79. In a statement, the IOC said Singh dedicated his life to the development of the Olympic Movement in India, Asia and across the world, becoming a central figure in the growth of sport administration in the region.

IOC president Kirsty Coventry paid tribute to Singh’s contribution to global sport and the Olympic Movement. “Raja Randhir Singh devoted his entire life to sport. As an Olympian, as an IOC Member and as a leader of Asian sport, he served the Olympic Movement with exceptional loyalty, wisdom and generosity over many decades. He will be remembered not only for his remarkable service and leadership, but also for his warmth, friendship and lifelong dedication to sport. On behalf of the International Olympic Committee, I extend our heartfelt condolences to his family, his friends and all those across the Olympic Movement who had the privilege of working with him,” Coventry said.

A distinguished trap and skeet shooter, Randhir Singh represented India at five Olympic Games — Mexico City 1968, Munich 1972, Montreal 1976, Moscow 1980 and Los Angeles 1984. He had also been India’s reserve shooter for the Tokyo Olympics in 1964.

Among his biggest sporting achievements was winning the gold medal in trap shooting at the 1978 Asian Games in Bangkok, making him India’s first Asian Games gold medallist in shooting. He later secured an individual bronze and a team silver medal at the 1982 Asian Games in New Delhi.

The IOC noted that Singh’s success and leadership played a key role in inspiring future generations of Indian shooters and strengthening India’s emergence as a major force in the sport.

While still an active athlete, Singh was appointed Secretary General of the OCA and later became its Acting President in 2021 before being elected President in 2024, becoming the first Indian to head the continental body.

He was elected an IOC Member in 2001 and served until 2014, after which he became an Honorary Member. During his tenure, he served on several IOC commissions and was also the IOC representative on the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Foundation Board between 2003 and 2005.

Singh also served as Secretary General of the Indian Olympic Association for nearly three decades and was widely regarded as one of the most influential administrators in Indian sport. Calling his passing “a great loss to the Olympic Movement”, the IOC said the Olympic flag at Olympic House will remain at half-mast for three days in his honour. (ANI)