New Delhi: India’s transformation into a global sporting powerhouse hinges on sustained, collaborative support across the government, corporate sector, leagues, sponsors, and the broader industry, says Olympian and Arjuna Award-winning table tennis player G. Sathiyan on Tuesday.
G. Sathiyan emphasised that reflecting on his career since age five, he noted how sports have evolved from an extracurricular pursuit into a viable profession and economic driver.
“It’s not just about athletes. For athletes to perform in the arena, you need a whole lot of people coming together. Athletes showcase talent, but they perform only when there is immense support from corporates and the government,” said Sathiyan while delivering the keynote address at the ‘Giving Wings to Dreams’ Conclave in New Delhi on Tuesday.
He stressed the role of grassroots visibility, adding, “When parents start seeing Olympians and Asian Games medalists close to home, they will believe their children can reach the next level. India can truly become a sporting powerhouse.”
G. Sathiyan, alongside senior government officials, investors, and key sports ecosystem stakeholders, gathered at Shangri-La Eros for SPORTSCOM’s Annual Session and the second edition of the Giving Wings to Dreams Conclave on Tuesday.
The inaugural session brought together policymakers to outline the country’s macro sporting framework. Hari Ranjan Rao, Secretary – Sports, Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports (MYAS), detailed upcoming policy developments, including the National Sports Policy, National Sports Governance Act, National Sports Board, and National Sports Tribunal. He also highlighted the proposed Sports Goods Manufacturing Scheme and the importance of fan engagement.
In another special session, Jayant Chaudhary, Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, called for viewing sport beyond medals, as a driver of employment, entrepreneurship and economic growth. He emphasised integrating sport with education and skilling, while highlighting opportunities across sports science, coaching, nutrition, event management, content, technology, manufacturing and entrepreneurship.
He also stressed collaboration among government, industry and academia, and highlighted AI, technology and women-led rural enterprises as enablers of inclusive growth in the sports ecosystem.
In a special session, Kunal, Joint Secretary (MYAS), reiterated the government’s vision to leverage sports for economic growth and youth engagement. He noted that India is pursuing a whole-of-government approach toward its 2036 Olympic host bid, while simultaneously promoting indigenous disciplines like Kho-Kho, Yogasana, and Mallakhamb alongside an “Everyone Plays” grassroots initiative.
The investor panel, ‘Inside the Investor’s Mind: What Makes a Sports Startup Venture-Ready?’, moderated by journalist Ayon Sengupta, featured Chintan Thakkar (IAN Alpha Fund), Mustafa Ghouse (Centre Court Capital), and Suhail Chandhok (U Mumba / Elev8 India Sportz). Panellists noted that while domestic and international capital availability is rising, startups require clear business models, proof of concept, scalability, and pathways to profitability to secure investment.
Manufacturing emerged as a primary theme during the panel ‘Building India’s Global Sports Manufacturing Ecosystem’, moderated by Piyush Doshi (The Convergence Foundation). Sanjeet Singh, Senior Advisor, NITI Aayog, outlined key priorities—cost, clusters, competitiveness, collaboration, and communication—targeting $8 billion in sports goods exports by 2036.
Industry leaders including Neeraj Jain (COSCO), P D Arya (Gem International), Shiv Prakash Singh (Shiv Naresh), and Arjun Anand (Anandco Sporting) discussed structural constraints such as raw material, logistics, and power costs. They emphasised the need for dedicated manufacturing clusters, international certification infrastructure, and public-private coordination. Dr. Shobhit Jain, Joint Secretary (MYAS), urged industry leaders to present “applied advocacy” with specific, actionable policy recommendations.
(IANS)
