Ever since he was elected to the top post in the Federation Internationale de Hockey (FIH), the question that ranked upper most in the minds of the keen watchers of Indian hockey is its fate as to who will head the Hockey India which Narinder Dhruv Batra is holding right now. Batra himself cleared the air today: he will quit, election will take place within 15 days to fill in the vacuum.

Newly elected FIH President Narinder Dhruv Batra will quit all positions he holds right now including Hockey India president post.

“Presently, I hold four important posts with Indian and Asian sports bodies. I am President of Hockey India, President of JK Hockey, associate vice President of Indian Olympic Committee, Vice President of Asian Hockey Federation and also Chairman, Hockey India League. As I am now elected to the FIH as president, I will quit all these posts”, beaming Batra informed the media in a specially convened meet today in Delhi.

As regards the IOA post, he will see what the statues say on this matter.

Expressing satisfaction that during his tenure Indian hockey has vastly improved from where he picked up, the first Indian to head any international sports federation, said: “For the first time women have qualified for the Olympics after 1980. That is a high point. Men’s ranking saw a quantum jump from world’s 12th to present sixth. Now its is upto the system that I put in place that should carry forward so that Indian hockey scale further high”, he asserted.

Batra has been elected first Non-European president of FIH recently in its conference in Dubai.

He defeated his rivals Ken Read of Australia and David Belbirne of Ireland hands down in Dubai.

Batra has been elected to the Hockey India chair in 2014 Congress. Earlier, he was the founder Secretary General.

On asked about the future president and the modalities, he quipped that the rules and regulations in such situations are already enshrined in the HI statues.

Coming to his own, he went on to explain its the duty of the Hockey India now to elect its president.

“Don’t think I will ever remote control Hockey India. I have put up a vibrant mechanism to run the day today affairs, and they are efficient under the CEO Elena Norman”.

“She and Commander Srivasta are capable of running it successfully. I will stay away. For instance, there is a sponsorhsip meeting between Hockey India and an interested party. I wont be party to the discussion at all. Its now all Hockey India’s call”, he asserted.