In a massive fillip to the recently-formed Boxing Federation of India, the Sports Ministry has granted recognition to the body which was voted to office last month.
"Ministry of Sports recognises Boxing Federation of India (BFI) as the National Sports Federation for Boxing," the Sports Ministry tweeted from its official handle.
"Recognition to BFI will give a big boost to preparation of our boxers for the Tokyo Olympics and other major international competitions," it added.
"There has been no National Sports Federation for Boxing since 2012. Recognition of BFI by the Sports Ministry fulfils the requirement."
BFI took charge in September after elections conducted in the presence of an observer from not just the Sports Ministry but also from the International Boxing Association (AIBA).
With an overwhelming vote, Uttarakhand's Ajay Singh, who is also the Chairman and Managing Director of Spicejet Airlines, was elected President of BFI.
Maharashtra's Jay Kowli was elected the Secretary General of the body, which will be conducting the national tournaments for both men and women in the next two months.
BFI ended the administrative vacuum that had hampered the sport for the last four years. Indian boxing had been enduring a turbulent time after the now defunct Indian Amateur Boxing Federation was terminated for manipulation in elections.
Image: India's Olympic medallist boxer MC Mary Kom
Photograph: Danish Siddiqui/Reuters
