- To ascend to the Olympic echelon as a nation, we must embed sports science into every layer of our athletic framework, states Abhinav Bindra during the conclave
Corrpondent
New Delhi, February 28, 2024: Hon’ble Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Shri Anurag Singh Thakur emphasised the importance of sports science at the National Centers of Excellence in the country while addressing the Bharat Sports Science Conclave in New Delhi on Wednesday, attended by several current and former athletes including India’s first individual Olympics gold medallist Abhinav Bindra, 2003 World Championship bronze medallist Anju Bobby George and Indian cricketer Deepak Chahar.
The one-day conclave was organised by TransStadia University, the education arm of TransStadia Education and Research Foundation in association with the National Centre of Sports Science and Research (NCSSR), a unit of Sports Authority of India and Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, and Sportscom Industry Confederation as an industry partner, is aimed at supporting high-level research in high performance and sports training for Indian Sports and athletes.
Focused on making India a sporting powerhouse based on the objectives and goal settings of Vision Olympics 2036, the Bharat Sports Science Conclave saw Anurag Thakur and the elite athletes terming sports science as a unique body of knowledge & understanding that play an important role in the development of athletes.
“It’s been a pleasure to join the inaugural Bharat Sports Science Conclave 2024 organized by TransStadia and the government of India. It is heartening to see an organization like TransStadia taking initiative and organizing such an important conclave. Sports science plays an important role in the development of players and is a unique body of knowledge and understanding. For our kids, sports science helps them understand their physical limitations, which uniquely enables them to understand their power and potential, giving them the courage to move towards excellence in their field,” commented Anurag Thakur during the Bharat Sports Science Conclave.
He added, “Elements of sports science are used to support athletes in their training to help them understand their strengths, improve and challenge their strengths toward their goals. We see that sports science indeed plays an important role in the lives of athletes and is a source of strength and support. From this, we learn that with a combination of strength strife and support, everyone can achieve their dreams no matter what kind of challenge he or she is facing. Sports science has played a crucial role in the success of most major athletes across sports disciplines. So, we are also ensuring the presence of a sports science department at our National Centers of Excellence in the country.”
Abhinav Bindra also reckoned the need for sports science in athletes’ lives and urged the coaches to embrace it in their programs as well. He said, “The gathering at the Bharat Sports Science Conclave is a testament to the pioneering spirit in the forward-thinking approach of our nation in the realm of sports science. The organization of this conclave with its rich agenda and conversations and deliberations underscores the critical importance of sports science in the evolution and enhancement of athletic performance and well-being. It is a spirit of creative exploration that I see reflected in the work of sports scientists, practitioners, and enthusiasts present at the Bharat Sports Science Conclave.”
Bindra added, “Coaches as the custodians of athletic progress must embrace sports science to fine-tune their training methodologies to this digital age. To ascend to the Olympic echelon as a nation, we must embed sports science into every layer of our athletic framework. It is not just the state-of-the-art facilities but the integration of the scientific mindset from the grassroots to elite levels that will catalyze India’s growth into a global sporting powerhouse. The importance of starting at the grassroots level cannot be overstated. It is here we must begin to instil a culture of precision analytics, and evidence-based training methods.”
The Conclave also witnessed multiple representations from those who mostly work behind the scenes as mentors to future sports stars. G. Vani Bhushanam, lead nutritionist of Sports Authority of India (SAI); Dr. Pralay Majumdar, Senior Advisor, Sports Science Education and Research (Centre of Excellence in Sports Science and Analytics) IIT, Madras; Dr. Nanaki J Chadha, Sports & Performance Psychologist and Former Indian Golfer; Dr Pierre Beauchamp, High-Performance Director, National Rifle Association of India; Amey Kolekar, Head of Sports Science, Padukone Dravid Centre for Sports Excellence are some of the names were part of the conclave. The conclave also had a special session by TOPS CEO, Cmde PK Garg and a presentation on Integrity and Fair Play by Mr. Virendra Rajput, Senior Project Associate, National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA).