Mansukh Mandaviya takes charge of Sports Ministry

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New Delhi, June 11 (PTI): Mansukh Mandaviya took charge of the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs on Tuesday (June 11) and promised to work with full commitment to improve the country's sporting landscape.

The 52-year-old Mandaviya, who won the Porbandar Lok Sabha seat in Gujarat, earlier served as the union health minister at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021. He had also held the ministry of chemicals and fertilisers in the previous government.

"...to empower the youth of the country and strengthen the country in the field of sports, today I took charge of @YASMinistry in Shastri Bhawan," Mandaviya posted on X after taking charge.

"We all will work together with full commitment to strengthen these areas," he added.

Mandaviya took over the sports ministry from BJP leader Anurag Thakur. Additionally, he also took charge of the Ministry of Labour and Employment.

Minister of State (Sports) under Mandaviya, Raksha Khadse, a three-time BJP MP from Maharashtra's Raver, was also present.

The 37-year-old Raksha is the daughter-in-law of Eknath Khadse, an NCP leader of the Sharad Pawar faction who has decided to switch back to the BJP.

Mandaviya was entrusted with the health portfolio in the middle of 2021 when the country was battling the COVID-19 crisis. At that time, he had replaced Dr Harsh Vardhan, who was dropped from the Council of Ministers as part of a reshuffle.

Mandaviya's ministry was then tasked with ramping up the supply of oxygen and medicines and overseeing the vaccination programme during the severe second wave of COVID-19. In the newly sworn in government, the health ministry has been given to J P Nadda.