New Delhi, May 31 (IANS): Kiren Rijiju was on Friday appointed as the new Sports Minister. He replaced Olympic medallist Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore.

Along with the Independent charge of the Sports and Youth Affairs, Rijiju was also named as the Minister of State for Minority Affairs.

"My heartfelt gratitude to PM Narendra Modi for reposing faith in me to be a member of his council of ministers. I sincerely thank Amit Shahji along with karyakartas and well wishers across India," Rijiju tweeted on Friday.

"For me 'leadership is not about power and privilege, it is about responsibility'," he added.

Meanwhile, Indian Olympic Association and All India Football Federation congratulated the 47-year-old on his appointment as the Sports Minister.

"Indian Olympic Association extends heartiest congratulations to honourable Kiren Rijiju on being appointed as the Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports Ministry," tweeted IOA.

"Congratulations Kiren Rijiju for being appointed as the Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Sports Ministry. We look forward to working together to make India a better sporting nation," said AIFF on its official Twitter handle.

Rathore was not inducted in the list of ministers, who took the oath of office and secrecy at the forecourts of Rashtapati Bhawan on Thursday.

Rijiju, 47, who is BJP's face in Northeast, had served as the Minister of State for Home Affairs.

He won the Lok Sabha Elections 2019 from the Arunachal West seat. This was his second consecutive win from this constituency. Rijiju defeated Congress candidate and former Chief Minister Nabam Tuki by a margin of 1,67,132 votes.

Rijiju comes with a small sporting background having participated in the National Games during his college days. He was named the best athlete in his school and college.