Modern Pentathlon Federation of India seeks Sports Ministry recognition

Modern Pentathlon Federation of India, among the new national sports bodies recognised by the Indian Olympic Association, has sought recognition from the union sports ministry. 

"We have written to the Sports Ministry for recognition and we are hopeful it would be granted soon," said Namdev Shirgaonkar, Founder Secretary of the Federation and an executive council member of IOA, at a media conference today.

"There are various types of recognition granted by the ministry, including at no cost to the government," he explained.

The Kabaddi player turned sports administrator, who has also dabbled in other games like basketball, softball and fencing, said India can win medals in pentathlon at the upcoming Incheon Asian Games.

"We can win medals at the Asian Games," said Shirgaonkar confidently, though in the last Asian Championship held in September-October 2013 at Astana in Kazakhstan, India's Angad Sahlot finished a distant 30 out of 33 competitors.

Though pentathlon also involves a costly discipline like horse riding, along with shooting, swimming, cross country running and the largely-unknown fencing, Shirgaonkar is confident Indian youth can take up to this gruelling event.

MPFI, headed by Sunil Purnapatre, is also a member of world governing body UIPM and the continental body AMPC.