India’s sporting ambitions received a decisive push on Monday at the first-ever SPORTSCOM ‘Giving Wings to Dreams’ Conclave, where a landmark report, Beyond Instinct: India’s Sporting Future in Data, was unveiled, calling for a fundamental shift towards analytics-led decision-making in Indian sport.
The conclave, supported by the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports (MYAS), brought together over 200 delegates under one roof. It united federations, corporates, manufacturers, and innovators in a landmark exchange of ideas.
The conclave opened in the presence of the Chief Guest, Raksha Nikhil Khadse, Minister of State for Youth Affairs & Sports. “With the National Sports Policy, we aim to create a culture of sports, generate employment opportunities, and boost sports tourism. Emerging areas like sports science, nutrition, psychology, management, and AI are opening new career opportunities for our youth. Together, with industry, academia, startups, and government, we can transform India into a sporting powerhouse by 2047,” she said.
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National badminton coach Pullela Gopichand highlighted how analytics is increasingly shaping elite performance.
A total of 10 early-stage ventures presented directly to leading investors, including Inflection Point Ventures, SucSEED Ventures, Real Time Angel Fund, and Lead Invest, while incubation support came from CESSA, IIT Madras, AIC IIT Delhi, and Amity Innovation and Incubation Centre.
“It was an absolute delight to see the business side of India’s sporting ecosystem come together to share ideas, observations, and learnings. The conversations at the conclave reaffirmed that we are on the right track. What excites me most is the quality of innovation being developed here in India, solutions that can shape not just domestic sport but also position India on the global sporting stage,” said Jalaj Dani, Sportscom president.
Panels explored critical themes such as the investment playbook for sports startups, the next wave of sports manufacturing under Make in India, and strategies for scaling sports innovation from idea to impact.
Published on Aug 26, 2025
