Questions over EFI’s role in facilitating duty exemption for pension-drawing Arjuna awardee
New Delhi, Feb 24: The conduct of the Equestrian Federation of India (EFI) has come under scrutiny after it facilitated customs duty exemption for Arjuna awardee Major General Deep Ahlawat to import a competition horse, despite his status as a pension-drawing former athlete who is no longer active in the sport.
Under the Arjuna Award pension scheme, recipients are required to submit an undertaking affirming that they are not active competitors. Major General Ahlawat, a retired equestrian rider and Arjuna awardee, is currently availing the pension.
Documents show that on June 26, EFI wrote to the Directorate General of Foreign Trade seeking issuance of the necessary import licence with suitable duty concessions to facilitate the import of six horses from Germany, the UK, France, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Denmark, Belgium and Hungary.
The federation stated in the letter that the move would help in the growth of equestrian sport in India and improve standards to win medals at international events.
On September 9, 2025, EFI again wrote to the Sports Ministry that Major General Ahlawat would import two horses for training and participation in various events and that a duty exemption was required for one.
The federation requested the ministry to issue a Customs Duty Exemption Certificate (CDEC) so that the consignment could be released at the earliest.
The horse imported is a warmblood named Lovely Miss Moneypenny.
The sequence of communications has raised a larger question over EFI’s decision-making process.
Facilitation of a competition horse import with duty concessions appears at variance with the pension undertaking that requires an awardee to step away from active sport. While applying for pension, the applicant has to give an undertaking that he/she has “retired from the active sports career”.
Lt. Col. MM Rahman, who as EFI Joint Secretary recommended Ahlawat for import of horse, said they followed the EFI SOP while taking the decision.
However, the SOP does not mention if a retired athlete can be recommended for importing a sports horse and that too with duty exemption. (PTI)
