GUWAHATI, Jan 12: Former Assam cricketer Devajit Saikia was elected the secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) at the Special General Meeting of BCCI in Mumbai on Sunday.
Saikia, who was holding the post of joint secretary of BCCI since early last month, succeeded former BCCI secretary Jay Shah, who took over as the chairman of the International Cricket Council (ICC) on December 1, 2024.
Notably, Saikia, who was the only candidate in the fray for the post, was elected unopposed. On the other hand, Prabhtej Singh Bhatia was elected treasurer of the BCCI.
It may be noted that Saikia was the interim BCCI secretary after Jay Shah vacated the post. According to the BCCI constitution, any post lying vacant should be filled within 45 days by calling a Special General Meeting of the board.
A former cricketer who played four first-class matches from 1990 and 1991 as a wicketkeeper-batsman, Saikia later practiced law in Gauhati High Court. Taking over administration of the game in Assam in 2016, Saikia held the post of vice president of Assam Cricket Association (ACA) from 2016 to 2019, later took charge as ACA secretary from 2019-2022, before being elected joint secretary of the BCCI in 2022.
Meanwhile, the Assam Cricket Association (ACA) congratulated Saikia on his election as the secretary of BCCI.
“His unopposed election to this esteemed position is a reflection of the unwavering trust and confidence reposed in him by the member boards of the BCCI,” a statement issued by ACA said.
A delegation from the ACA, led by president Taranga Gogoi; secretary Tridib Konwar, and members of the ACA apex council, along with former officials, felicitated Saikia at the BCCI office in Mumbai on Sunday.
Speaking on this occasion, ACA president Gogoi stated, “I take immense pride in congratulating Devajit Saikia on being elected as secretary of the BCCI. He has been a steadfast pillar of the ACA, playing a vital role in conceptualising and executing groundbreaking initiatives for cricket in Assam. I am confident that his visionary leadership will further elevate the reputation and success of our beloved sport on both national and global platforms.”
