Rekha Arya: Sports Minister of Uttarakhand

Rekha Arya is an Indian politician from Uttarakhand who currently serves as the state's Cabinet Minister for Sports & Youth Welfare, in addition to holding the Women & Child Development and Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs portfolios in the government led by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami. A three-time MLA from the Someshwar assembly constituency in Almora district, she is currently the only woman minister in the Uttarakhand cabinet.

As Sports Minister, she played a lead role in Uttarakhand's preparations to host the 38th National Games of India in early 2025, overseeing everything from infrastructure readiness to athlete welfare initiatives across the state.

Rekha Arya was born on 15 December 1978 in Sunadi Pokhri village, in the Someshwar tehsil of Almora district, nestled in the Kosi river valley of Uttarakhand, into a middle-class family. Her father served in the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), while her mother was a homemaker; one of her two brothers also served in the CRPF and the other in the Indian Army.

Due to her father's postings, much of her early schooling took place in Madhya Pradesh, though the family would return to their native village during school holidays, giving her a upbringing shaped by both the plains and the hills of Uttarakhand. She went on to complete her M.Com., followed by a B.Ed. degree from Kumaon University, Nainital, in 2002.

She is married to Girdhari Lal Sahu, who comes from a political and business background, and the couple have one daughter and two sons.

Arya's political career began at the grassroots level in 2003, when she contested and won the Zila Panchayat (District Panchayat) election in Almora, going on to become its chairperson. In 2012, after being denied a Congress ticket, she contested the Someshwar assembly seat as an independent candidate. She lost the election but polled over 15,000 votes, a result that signalled her strong grassroots support.

Her breakthrough came in 2014, when she won a historic victory in the Someshwar assembly bye-election on a Congress ticket, becoming an MLA for the first time. Ahead of the 2017 assembly election, she switched her allegiance to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which fielded her from the same Someshwar seat – a decision that paid off as she won comfortably, defeating Congress's Rajendra Barakoti.

Rekha Arya has contested the Someshwar assembly seat five times since 2012, winning three consecutive elections since her first victory in 2014.

Following her 2022 re-election, Rekha Arya was inducted into Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami's cabinet and entrusted with three key portfolios: Women & Child Development, Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs, and Sports & Youth Welfare. She has continued to hold these responsibilities through subsequent cabinet reshuffles, making her one of the more consistently placed ministers in the Dhami government and the only woman minister in the state cabinet.

As Sports & Youth Welfare Minister, Rekha Arya's most high-profile responsibility has been overseeing Uttarakhand's preparations to host the 38th National Games of India in 2025. When the Indian Olympic Association entrusted the state with hosting duties, Arya led coordination between the Sports Department, the Uttarakhand Olympic Association, and various sports federations to finalise dates, infrastructure, and logistics.

The Games, held from 28 January to 14 February 2025 and inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, featured 32 core disciplines alongside four demonstration sports – Yogasana, Mallakhamb, Rafting, and Kalaripayattu – reflecting the state's blend of tradition and modern sporting ambition. Arya represented the state government at the opening ceremony alongside the Chief Minister, the Governor, and Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya.

Beyond hosting the National Games, Arya has driven several grassroots and athlete-welfare initiatives during her tenure as Sports Minister.

• Khel Mahakumbh: Inaugurated alongside CM Dhami ahead of the National Games, bringing together roughly 12,000 athletes across the state in disciplines including Mallakhamb, Pitthu, and Murga Jhapat, with cash rewards announced for record-breaking performances.
• 4% Sports Reservation: Backed the state government's commitment to extending a 4% sports quota benefit to medal winners at events like the Khel Mahakumbh.
• National Sports Promotion Torch Relay: Flagged off a month-long torch relay from Haldwani to Dehradun ahead of the National Games, featuring marathons, cycling rallies, and school-level sporting events across every district.
• Anti-Doping Awareness: Inaugurated athlete awareness workshops with the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) to educate young athletes on banned substances.

Rekha Arya's political journey, from a district panchayat seat to a multi-portfolio cabinet role, reflects a steady rise built on grassroots politics and consistent electoral performance in her home constituency.

She is widely recognised as:

• The sole woman minister in the Uttarakhand cabinet, holding three significant portfolios simultaneously
• The Sports Minister who led the state's charge in successfully hosting the 38th National Games of India
• A three-time MLA from Someshwar with a consistent grassroots political base in Almora district
• An advocate for athlete welfare, sports infrastructure, and anti-doping awareness across Uttarakhand

As Uttarakhand continues to build on the momentum of the 2025 National Games, Rekha Arya's role as Sports Minister remains central to the state's efforts to expand opportunities for its young athletes.