Davis Cup skipper Rohit Rajpal to be India's chef de mission at Commonwealth Games in Glasgow

New Delhi: India's Davis Cup captain Rohit Rajpal has been appointed as the country's Chef de Mission for the upcoming Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, according to IOA sources.

Ravi Bengani is the Deputy Chef de Mission, while Vandana Rao and Rahul Swami figure will travel with the Indian contingent as general team managers for the Games, scheduled to be held from July 23 to August 2.

Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president P T Usha will be part of the senior leadership delegation alongside CEO Raghuram Iyer and Vignesh Vengalil Ujjwal.


Rajpal is an Executive Committee member of the IOA and vice-president of the All India Tennis Association (AITA).

Apart from leading India's Davis Cup team as captain for several years, he has also handled administrative assignments within Indian sport.

A source close to the development said Rajpal's appointment was seen as a "safe and efficient choice" by the IOA leadership.

"Rohit has vast administrative experience and enjoys good equations across federations. The feeling within the IOA is that he can manage a multi-discipline contingent efficiently and keep coordination smooth during the Games," the source told PTI.

The source further said Rajpal's calm working style and familiarity with athletes and officials across disciplines worked in his favour during the selection process.

"He is someone who understands both athlete requirements and federation dynamics. That balance was considered important, especially for a compact Games where logistics and coordination will be crucial," the source added.

Boxer M C Mary Kom, former hockey captain Kamalpreet Kaur, former athlete Sunaina Kumari and former weightlifter Rajlaxmi Singh Deo are among the special guests attached to the Indian delegation.

The Glasgow Commonwealth Games will be a scaled-down edition compared to previous versions, with a reduced number of disciplines and athletes.

India is likely to send a compact contingent.