Mumbai: Mithun Manhas was officially declared the new President of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Sunday.

Union Minister Jitendra Singh hailed the development, calling it “a momentous occasion to celebrate.”

Singh described it as “a providential Sunday for the erstwhile district of Doda, one of the remotest parts of Jammu & Kashmir, which incidentally also happens to be my own home district.”

He further wrote, “Within a gap of few hours, first a daughter of Kishtwar, Sheetal, shines out as World Champion and soon thereafter a son of Bhaderwah, Mithun stands atop.”

Manhas, who played 157 First-Class, 130 List A and 91 T20s matches in a long domestic career from 1997-98 to 2016-17, had emerged as a front runner to take over the role left vacant by the exit of Roger Binny last month.

The 45-year-old Manhas' name came to the fore after an informal meeting held in New Delhi, during which it was decided to push his name forward for the role of BCCI president.