Paris July 24 : Ahead of the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games this weekend, Nita M. Ambani was on Wednesday re-elected unanimously as a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for a second term during the 142nd IOC Session here.

The IOC announced that India's leading philanthropist and Founder of the Reliance Foundation has received 100% of the votes to be re-elected the IOC Member from India at the 142nd IOC session in Paris that is currently underway.

Speaking after her re-election, Nita Ambani said, 'I am deeply honoured to be re-elected as a member of the International Olympic Committee. I would like to thank President Bach and all my colleagues in the IOC for their faith and trust in me.

"This re-election is not just a personal milestone but also a recognition of India's growing influence in the global sporting arena. I share this moment of joy and pride with every Indian and look forward to continuing our efforts to strengthen the Olympic Movement in India and around the world," she said.

Nita Ambani was first appointed to join the prestigious body in 2016, at the Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games. Since then, as India's first woman to join the IOC, Nita Ambani has already made great efforts for the association, whilst also championing India's sporting ambitions and Olympic vision. This includes recently hosting the first IOC session in Mumbai for over 40 years, in October 2023, which was hailed as showcasing the new, ambitious India to the world.

As Founder and Chairperson of the Reliance Foundation, Nita Ambani seeks to empower millions of Indians with resources and opportunities. She drives various initiatives across sport, education, health, art and culture ' all aimed at improving the lives of people across the country. Reliance Foundation is at the forefront of driving India's sports growth with its programmes from grassroots to the elite reaching more than 22.9 million children and youth in India since its inception.

The organisation is focused on promoting a variety of sports across India, particularly in remote places where access to sports and equipment is not a given.

As part of a long-term partnership with the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), Reliance Foundation is opening the first-ever India House at the Paris Olympics 2024 this summer.

India House will be a ''home away from home' for athletes, a place to celebrate wins and share India's Olympic journey with the world. It demonstrates India's ambitions to become a dominant force in global sports, fostering greater success at the Olympics and charting a course towards hosting the Games in the future.

/IANS