The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has awarded the prestigious Olympic Order to Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president N Ramachandran. The award is given in acknowledgement for Ramachandran’s outstanding contribution to the Olympic movement. N Ramachandran said he was “truly humbled and honoured” with the highest award of the Olympic movement. Ramachandran became IOA president in February 2014. Former IOA president, the late B.S. Adityan was also honoured with the same award, in 1995.

Did You Know?

• The International Olympic Committee is an international, non-profit, non-governmental organization based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin, on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelasas its first president.
• Today its membership consists of 100 active members, 32 honorary members, and 1 honour member.
• The IOC is the supreme authority of the worldwide modern Olympic movement.
• The IOC organises the modern Olympic Games and Youth Olympic Games, held in summer and winter, every four years. The first Summer Olympics organised by the IOC was held in Athens, Greece, in 1896; the first Winter Olympics was in Chamonix, France, in 1924.
• The first Summer Youth Olympics were in Singapore in 2010 and the first Winter Youth Olympics were held in Innsbruck in 2012.
• The stated mission of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) is to promote Olympic throughout the world and to lead the Olympic Movement.