New Delhi: Anurag Thakur on Thursday took over as the 17th Minister of Sports, Successfully Kiren Rijju.
The former 46-year-old BCCI President was given the responsibility of sports and adolescents along with information and broadcast broadcasting after he took an oath as a cabinet minister on Wednesday.
He came to the office when the nation’s athlete was in the final stage of their preparation for the Olympics from July 23.
“Whatever the good work that has been done so far under Kiren Rijju will continue.
I want to bring everyone together and work for Indian sports improvement,” he told reporters after taking over.
Thakur was the first cabinet minister since Mani Shankar Iyer (2006-2008) to get the responsibility of the sports ministry.
Nisith Pramanik has made the Minister of State for sports and will work under Thakur.
Thakur is BCCI President Between May 2016 and February 2017.
Before that, he was the Secretary of the Board and also led the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA).
A member of Parliament from HP Hamirpur Constituency, Thakur served as Minister of State Finance and corporate affairs under Nirmala Sitharaman before the cabinet reshuffle Wednesday.
His brother Arun Dhumal is currently treasurer BCCI.