PANAJI
Dr Blanche Themudo was elected unopposed as president of the Cycling Association of Goa (CAG) for the 2026-30 term after the association completed its long-awaited election process on Saturday.
The final list of candidates published by returning officer Adv S.Y. Thali showed a single valid candidate for each of the key office-bearer posts, eliminating the need for a ballot.
Vidhyanand K. Khandeparkar was elected chairman, while Neeraj Gupta and Beena Kumari L. were elected secretary and treasurer respectively.
The other office bearers elected unanimously are Blaise Lawrence Costabir and N. Bryan Soares (vice presidents), Vinayak Gaonkar and Adelina L. Mascarenhas (joint secretaries), and Pusha Chatterjee, Stanley Rodrigues, Virginia Julieta Rosa and Ajay M. Dongre (executive committee members).
The elections followed a prolonged dispute over membership and voting rights, including the eligibility of 66 cyclists whose membership had been challenged. The court upheld their membership, allowing them to participate in the electoral process and bringing clarity to the electoral roll.
The Cycling Federation of India deputed Adv M.K. Pasha, while the Goa Olympic Association appointed Jayesh Naik as observers for the elections.
The completion of the process clears the way for the new executive committee to take charge of the association.
Themudo, a national-level cyclist, said the new committee would focus on strengthening cycling in Goa and creating better opportunities for local riders. She said the association would work towards developing the sport and helping Goan cyclists achieve success at national and international competitions.
