M.S. Gill,72 MoS (Independent Charge),Youth Affairs,Sports

Gill took over from Mani Shankar Aiyar in April 2008 and brought the focus back to the 2010 Commonwealth Games.

His brief

Providing sports infrastructure in every school,preparing for the 2010 Games.

The deliveries

• Launched Panchayat Yuva Krida Aur Khel Abhiyan for sports infrastructure in villages,Rs 143 crore was released.

• Increased pension for Olympic medalists from Rs 5,000 a month to Rs 10,000.

Reforms derailed

• Did not formulate a new sports policy.

• Unlike Aiyar,Gill soft-pedalled the issue of accountability of IOA,sports federations.

Opportunities blown

The Commonwealth Youth Games in Pune in 2008,which could have shown India was ready to host a world-class event,was a disaster.

What was he thinking?

I congratulate myself,and every other Indian, he said on TV after Abhinav Bindra won the Olympic Gold.

High Point

Ousted Indian Hockey Federation chief KPS Gill in the wake of a bribery scandal.

Low Point

Asked national badminton coach P. Gopichand,Who are you?

View from the shadow

He did take a keen interest in sports. Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa,former youth affairs and sports minister

Did he get your vote?

He did not contest.