New Delhi, India, September 19, 2024: The former Secretary General of the National Rifle Association of India, Baljit Singh Sethi, passed away on Wednesday, September 18. He was 89.
Sethi was the longest-serving NRAI secretary general, from 1985 to 2009, as he took Indian shooting to great heights.
Shooting star Abhinav Bindra, who won the first individual Olympic gold medal for India, posted on X: “Deeply saddened to hear about the passing of Mr. Baljit Singh Sethi. His lifelong commitment and service to Indian shooting laid the foundation for many of our successes today.”
“It was under his reign that shooting began to get recognised as a popular sport in the country,” former president of NRAI, Raninder Singh, was quoted by The Hindu newspaper.
“His vision, dedication and passion saw India win its first ever Olympic medal in shooting, and also the first ever individual Olympic gold. He not only grew the sport for the benefit of the athletes, but also groomed administrators like us,” Raninder Singh added.