Anju Bobby George, Pullela Gopichand drafted as members of Khelo India

NEW DELHI: India's lone athletics World Championship medal winner Anju Bobby George and chief national badminton coach Pullela Gopichand have been drafted as members of Khelo India, a national programme for the development of sports in the country, an initiative by the Government.

Khelo India is a seven-member committee, in which Anju and Gopichand are the two sportspersons.

The committee will be headed by Sports Secretary Rajiv Yadav.

Known for her feats as a long jumper, Anju has recently quit as the president of the Kerala Sports Council along with 13 other members in protest against the "insulting behaviour" of Kerala Sports Minister E P Jayarajan.

Gopichand, a former all-England badminton champion, has been the coach of the Indian national badminton team since 2006 and is responsible for the likes of Sania Nehwal, P V Sindhu, K Srikanth and others doing well at the international level.