Yogeshwar Dutt Appointed as Mission Chief for Indian Contingent

Olympic medal-winning wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt has been given a major responsibility for the upcoming Asian Youth Games. He will lead the Indian team as the Mission Chief, while Amitabh Sharma, President of the Ice Skating Association of India, will hold the same role for the 2026 Winter Olympics.

These decisions were made during the Indian Olympic Association’s (IOA) Executive Committee meeting held on Wednesday.

Yogeshwar, who won a bronze medal at the 2012 London Olympics, confirmed the development to news agency PTI, saying, "Yes, I will be going as the Mission Chief for the Asian Youth Games in Bahrain. This was decided during the IOA Executive Committee meeting on September 10."

Yogeshwar is also a member of the IOA Executive Committee as one of the Sportspersons of Merit (SOM).

The third edition of the Asian Youth Games was originally scheduled to be held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, but the Central Asian country withdrew its hosting rights. The Olympic Council of Asia subsequently awarded the hosting rights to Bahrain last year. Athletes will compete in 24 sports during the event.

Amitabh Sharma will serve as the Mission Chief for the Indian contingent at the Winter Olympics, to be held in Milano Cortina, Italy, from February 6 to 22, 2026. A source said, "Yes, Sharma will be the Mission Chief for the Winter Olympics." Amitabh Sharma is also a member of the IOA Executive Committee.

The meeting agenda also included the approval of financial reports and other administrative decisions.