Tags:
Journalism of Courage
NEW DELHI, May 27: It will be some time before the Sports Ministry appoints a new Director General to head the Sports Authority of India (SAI), though the outgoing Director General, M.N. Buch, relinquished his post yesterday. Buch had completed five years of service in Delhi, though his stay as the head of SAI lasted just about a year-and-a half.
Until a new DG is in place, the secretary in the Department of Sports and Youth Affairs, Bhaskar Barua, will hold additional charges.
Buch, a Gujarat cadre officer, was on deputation at the Centre and took over as DG of SAI from R. Narayanan, a Kerala-cadre officer, in February 1996.
A sportsman himself, Buch was ideally thought to be an officer who would effect some changes in SAI to help repair its battered image. Unfortunately, Buch had to go when things seemed to be on the mend.
Before his departure, Buch had confessed in a candid conversation with The Indian Express that it needed an Himalayan effort to set things right at SAI. He also expressed disappointment that he could not do much because of his short stay at the helm.
The organisation, which is just short of being declared sick, badly needs a head who can usher in an era of cleanliness, transparency and, above all, the courage to take the erring officials to task.
