Rahul Dravid, Saina nominated by Sports Ministry to CWG 2030 Organizing Committee

Former Indian cricket captain Rahul Dravid and Olympic badminton medalist Saina Nehwal have been nominated by the sports ministry as athlete representatives in the proposed organizing committee for the 2030 Commonwealth Games in Ahmedabad.

The OV is expected to be headed by Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi, who also holds the sports portfolio, and will have representation from the Indian Olympic Association, which is heading for elections in December. It will also feature a representative of the Commonwealth Games Association of India in Lieutenant General Harpal Singh.

“Yes, Rahul Dravid and Saina Nehwal have been nominated for the proposed organizing committee. Jinal Mehta and Ananya Birla are the two recommendations from the private sector,” a Sports Ministry source told PTI.

Saina, a bronze medalist at the 2012 London Olympics, became a member of the ruling BJP after retiring from sports. Dravid, after retiring from the game, was the coach and led the national team to the 2024 T20 World Cup trophy.

Both Mehta and Birla are associated with IPL franchises.

While Torrent Pharmaceuticals chief Mehta is the chairman of Gujarat Titans, Ananya Birla is associated with the consortium that owns Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

The OC 2030 CWG OC is expected to have a total of 12 to 15 members and was set to be formed earlier this year after Ahmedabad won the bid to host the November 2025 Games.

The CWG, which was downsized significantly for this year’s Glasgow edition due to lack of funds, is expected to be a big deal as far as Ahmedabad is concerned.

India plans to have 15 to 17 disciplines on the roster. The Glasgow Games featured only 10 disciplines and omitted popular ones such as hockey, wrestling and cricket.

The OC for the Ahmedabad Games will be a non-profit corporation, a model adopted in the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games and recommended by the CAG after the 2010 CWG in Delhi.

The operational cost of the Ahmedabad CWG is expected to be around Rs 3,000-5,000 crore. The Sports Ministry has committed to provide a grant of Rs 2,000 crore, which will be released once the Gujarat government raises the demand.

This does not include funds (capital expenditures) that will go into building additional infrastructure, part of which is provided by the city development department. The costs incurred to build public infrastructure will not be included in the expenditure of the games, as its utility will extend beyond the games.

The Melbourne edition is often described as one of the best CWGs ever, earning praise for its execution and public participation.

In addition to the chairman, the OV will also have a vice-chairman, a general manager and a representative of Commonwealth Sport (the governing body of the Games).

2010 Delhi CWG OC was headed by then IOA chief Suresh Kalmadi and was registered as a company. This drew heavy criticism for his handling of the games and also faced allegations of corruption.

The Ahmedabad CWG is expected to be held in October 2030.

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