Sania Mirza and Mahesh Bhupathi take charge of Indian tennis.

Mahesh Bhupathi and Sania Mirza have been elected as Sportspersons of Outstanding Merit (SOM) representatives to the All India Tennis Association (AITA) Executive Committee.

Bhupathi secured 23 votes, the highest among all candidates in the EC election.

Mirza received 18 votes.

Janaki Krishnamoorthy got 13 votes and Vishal Uppal polled seven.

The two were also elected to the AITA General Body earlier, with Bhupathi receiving 19 votes and Mirza 18.

Ashutosh Singh, the current Davis Cup coach, received 17 votes and Shalini Thakur Chawla got 16, making them the other two elected SOM representatives to the General Body.

Other candidates in the General Body election included Janaki Krishnamoorthy (15), Vishal Uppal (9), Gaurav Natekar (8) and Ankita Bhambri (7).

The AITA constitution, amended in July in line with the National Sports Governance Act, provides for four SOM representatives in the General Body — two men and two women — and two in the Executive Committee, one man and one woman.

With Bhupathi and Mirza now on the Executive Committee, they are barred from contesting office-bearer posts such as president, general secretary and treasurer.

The election took place on Thursday, November 5, 2026, from a roster of 40 former players.

Bhupathi commented on the turnout: "I think it was very heartening to see 31 SOM show up to vote, even though none of them have ever got any support from AITA in the past."

"So it shows that they wanted to come from different parts of India," he added.

"Some flew from Hong Kong to show their support for what we believe in, and we believe that we can put a structure together to make change."

"And the fact that Sania and I are in the EC now I believe we can put a structure together sooner than later."

Mirza expressed her enthusiasm about the new role.

"Our vision and our goal are one, which is to try and make Indian tennis better," she said.

She emphasized the need for a comprehensive support system for young players, including quality coaching, strategic tournament guidance and robust fitness support.

"There are many things that go into making of a tennis player," Mirza noted, underscoring the need for a holistic approach.

Both players bring exceptional international credentials.

Bhupathi has won 12 Grand Slam titles across men's and mixed doubles.

Mirza, a former world No. 1 in doubles, has six Grand Slam victories.

Their inclusion signals a potential shift in Indian tennis administration, which has often been criticized for lacking input from former top players.

Shalini Thakur Chawla, elected to the General Body, said: "I look forward to contributing positively towards the growth of Indian tennis, representing the interests of our sporting community and working together for a stronger future."

Ashutosh Singh, the Davis Cup coach, thanked the tennis fraternity for its support.

"This is both an honour and a responsibility," he said.

"I look forward to working collectively with all elected members to strengthen Indian tennis and create better opportunities for our players and coaches."

The election comes amid ongoing legal proceedings in the Delhi High Court.

The court is scheduled to hear a request by administrator Justice (retd.)

Gita Mittal to implead the AITA Trust and the Delhi Lawn Tennis Association (DLTA) for corruption.

A contempt petition filed against AITA's interim office-bearers for alleged "active obstruction and suppression of information" from the administrator is also pending.

The court hearing was set for Friday, November 6, 2026.

It remains unclear how these legal developments will affect the newly elected SOM representatives' ability to implement changes.

The AITA Governing Body election represents a rare instance of former players entering the federation's decision-making structure.

Indian sports federations have been under pressure to adopt governance reforms that give greater representation to former athletes.

The SOM category was created to ensure that athletes with proven international achievement have a direct voice in administration.