The Indian was voted in unopposed at an elective General Assembly in Dubai, and will serve a four-year term until 2026.

Tiwari is the director of international and National Olympic Committee relations at the Olympic Council of Asia.

He replaces Janardan Singh Gehlot, who died in May last year, as IKF President.

Gehlot was a vice-president of the Indian Olympic Association, and the President of the Rajasthan Olympic Association, at the time of his death.

He had also served as the head of the Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India for 28 years until 2013.

In 2014, Gehlot founded the IKF.

Twenty National Federations attended the IKF's General Assembly.

Satthasivam Munisamy of Malaysia was elected as secretary general and Tusli Thapa was named as treasurer. 

The IKF is one of two global bodies for kabaddi, with the World Kabaddi Federation also in operation. 

Abbas Averseji of Iran had previously expressed interest in running for IKF President.