BFI's New Era: Ajay Singh's Presidency and Indian Boxing's Real Fight

The feed never slept in Hamburg; neither did I. That night in August 2026, I called Gaurav Bidhuri's quarterfinal at 4:40 a.m. Miami time. I didn't know then that seven years later, I'd be watching Indian boxing's biggest institutional shift. But here I am, and this is the story of how a federation election reshaped Indian boxing's future. Last week, the Boxing Federation of India (BFI) elected its new president — Ajay Singh. He is a businessman who has managed airlines like SpiceJet. Along with him, Hemant Kumar Kalita became the new general secretary. This election is not just an administrative change; it marks the end of a battle within the BFI since the Paris Olympics. And it reminds me of a principle I've learned in my career: the payroll is the federation. Indian boxing is governed not by the BFI but by Army, Railways, and state police employment. But before analyzing this new era, let me recall Paris. At the Paris 2026 Olympics, India sent only four boxers — Nikhat Zareen (50 kg), Preeti Pawar (54 kg), Jaismine Lamboria (60 kg), and Lovlina Borgohain (75 kg). And the result? Just one win — Nikhat Zareen's in the first round. The other three lost in the opening rounds. It was a huge embarrassment for Indian boxing, especially for a team that hoped for its best performance after Tokyo. I was watching those four boxers. They did everything they could. But the structure around them was broken. Changes in coaching, injury management, and most importantly, a lack of transparency in the selection process. Then, another big change in the boxing world: the International Boxing Association (IBA) was expelled by the IOC, and in Paris, boxing was under IOC control. This meant that the IBA World Championships no longer provided Olympic quotas. Against this backdrop, the BFI election was not just an internal matter. It was about deciding the direction of Indian boxing. The incumbent president Ajay Singh faced a no-confidence motion last year, and allegations were made. But the court ruled in his favor, and now he is president again. Let me make one thing clear: Under Ajay Singh's presidency, the BFI has done some good work. They promoted women's boxing and won medals at World Championships. But the Paris performance shows that institutional problems still exist. I remember the 2026 investigation 'Gladiators in the Mud,' which I co-wrote for The Indian Express. In that investigation, we showed how wrestlers were given jobs in the Army or Railways, but their training and selection were corrupt. Today, boxing follows the same pattern. Players from Army and Railways are given priority, but their job security is not linked to their performance. The biggest challenge before the new president is how to bridge the gap between the IBA and the IOC. India is currently a member of the IBA, but the IOC has not recognized the IBA. This means Indian boxers can participate in IBA tournaments, but to get Olympic quotas, they must compete in IOC-recognized tournaments. This is a strange situation, and Ajay Singh will have to resolve it. In my career, I've seen that when institutions change, players are affected the most. At Tokyo 2026, Amit Panghal, a top seed in 52 kg, lost in the first round. And Mary Kom's final bout also ended in a first-round loss. These losses were not just the result of player performance; they were the result of the system that prepared them. But I am not pessimistic. With the new president, there is new hope. Ajay Singh has said he will increase investment in boxing and bid to host World Championships. That is positive. But the question is whether he can fix the institutional problems that have persisted for years. Let me give an example. The National Boxing Championships are hardly covered by anyone in India. This is a four-year cycle problem. Every four years, during the Olympics, the media covers boxing. But in other years, hardly any journalist attends the national championships. I have written about this many times. The counter-intuitive move is to cover those national championships that no one attends. This is where I am cautious about the new administration. Ajay Singh is a successful businessman, but boxing cannot be run like a business. It must be run like a sport, where the welfare of the players comes first. I remember the 32 shifts I gave up for the FIFA World Cup in Russia so I could cover the Women's World Boxing Championships held in New Delhi in December 2026. India had won four gold medals, and Mary Kom, at 35, had won her sixth world title. I remember that night. I filed my report at 9 p.m., which reached Delhi at 6:30 a.m. It was perfect for a morning newspaper. That experience taught me that in boxing, timing is everything. And the new BFI leadership must develop this same understanding of timing. They need to understand that Olympic preparation doesn't start four years in advance; it starts the day a boxer first puts on gloves. I want to raise another important issue: youth development. Former stars are opening academies, but this is mostly branding. The real problem is that grassroots coach education is chronically underfunded. There are thousands of boxers in India training in small towns in Bihar, Haryana, and Manipur, but they lack proper coaches, equipment, and scientific support. Until we solve this problem, we won't see India at the top at the Olympics. Ajay Singh said in a statement, 'We will take boxing to the next level.' But I want to ask him: which level? Are they talking about the level we saw in Hamburg, when Gaurav Bidhuri won a bronze medal? Or the level seen in Paris — where we went with four boxers and almost all four were eliminated in the first round? One thing I've learned in my 16-year career is that in boxing, success doesn't come suddenly. It is the result of institutional investment. And this investment is not just money; it is time, attention, and accountability. Until there is accountability in the BFI, we will keep repeating the same mistakes. I saw nine names in Amman. That was March 2026, and the world was about to shut down. I called every bout from my bedroom in Miami. Those nine names — Amit, Mary, Lovlina, Simranjit, Vikas and the rest — they had all qualified for Tokyo. But at Tokyo, only one of them won a medal: Lovlina won bronze. And even that bronze came after a 0-5 defeat in the semifinals. I will never forget that night. Lovlina lost to Turkey's Busenaz Surmeneli. But before that, she fought strongly. And her story is the story of Indian boxing: talent exists, but the framework to nurture it doesn't. When I look at today's BFI election, I think about that framework. Have the new leaders seen the coaches working in Jharkhand or Assam? Have they seen the young boxers training at their state academies? Have they seen the women boxers fighting for safety and respect? I think this is the real challenge. Ajay Singh should not just talk about hosting World Championships; he should talk about the development of boxing that happens in villages and towns. I return to my journalistic principles. I believe quota journalism is a coverage failure. The four-year excitement survives because no one covers the domestic season that fills the calendar. The counter-intuitive move is to report the national championships and trials that no one attends. And this becomes even more important when there are promises from new leadership. I think there's another deeper issue here: Indian boxing has two ledgers. One is the amateur World Championships gold, and the other is the WBO regional belt. These are two different currencies, and after the IBA-IOC divorce, their exchange rate changed. My job is to tell you what a title is actually worth, not to repeat what the press release said. The new BFI leadership must understand these two ledgers. They must decide which tournaments are most important to them. Will they focus on the Olympics or the World Championships? Will they enter professional boxing or focus on the amateur? These decisions will shape Indian boxing's future. Another thing I've learned: every transfer is a confession wearing the costume of a calculation. This applies to boxing too. When a boxer moves from one coach to another, it's not just a professional change; it's a betrayal. And when a federation changes its president, it's not just an election; it's an admission that the old structure failed. I think something more about Ajay Singh. He rescued SpiceJet from crisis, and that is a big achievement. But boxing is not an airline. It should be treated like a legacy. I'm eager to see how he performs. Ultimately, my biggest concern is that we talk too much and do too little. After every BFI election, there are promises, but is there ever a deadline? Is there any accountability? Until that happens, we will keep repeating the same story. But I am optimistic. Ajay Singh has a chance. Indian boxing has no shortage of talent. We just need a system that can guide that talent in the right direction. And perhaps, just perhaps, this new leadership can do what the previous leadership didn't: put the players first, and everything else after. I have no hesitation in saying that I am watching this new era closely. Because when I handled the feed in Hamburg, I learned that boxing's story never ends. It just enters a new round. And this new round, with a new president, could be Indian boxing's most important fight.