People, Positions and Obituaries · 18 April 2026

Narayana Ramachandran passes away as former Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and World Squash Federation (WSF) president

Exam-focused facts from the 18 April 2026 current affairs briefing.

Key facts

  • Narayana Ramachandran, former president of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and World Squash Federation (WSF), passed away at the age of 77 in Chennai.
  • He served as the WSF President between 2008 and 2016 and was the first Indian to lead an International Olympic Committee (IOC)-recognised international federation.
  • He held the position of IOA president from 2014 to 2017, leading the organisation to Olympic reinstatement following a 14-month IOC ban.
  • He was the first honorary life member of the WSF.
  • In 2016, he was awarded the Olympic Order (Silver) by the IOC and an Award of Merit by the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA).
  • He ensured the inclusion of squash as a core medal sport in the Asian Games.
  • He invested in the India Squash Academy and hosted ten world championships in India between 2002 and 2025.

View this story in the full daily briefing

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