New Delhi, August 28, 2025: India’s sporting ambitions received a decisive push 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 at the Shangri-La Eros Hotel, New Delhi, uniting federations, corporates, manufacturers, and innovators in a landmark exchange of ideas.
The conclave opened in the presence of the Chief Guest, Mrs. Raksha Nikhil Khadse, Hon’ble Minister of State for Youth Affairs & Sports, Government of India. Adding further depth, a special session on “Make in India for the World: How Startups Can Lead the Next Wave of Sports Manufacturing” was held in the presence of Guest of Honours Dr. Shobhit Jain, Joint Secretary, MYAS, Mr. R Vineel Krishna, Joint Secretary, MYAS, and Mr. Sanjiv Singh, Joint Secretary, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, as Guests of Honour.
The day concluded with a plenary keynote address by Mr. Hari Ranjan Rao, Secretary–Sports, MYAS, underscoring the central role of innovation and enterprise in powering India’s sporting ambitions.
Speaking on the occasion, Mrs. Raksha Nikhil Khadse, Hon’ble Minister of State for Youth Affairs & Sports, Government of India, said: “Sports is not just about winning medals—it is about building a fitter, stronger India. 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.”
The conclave opened with keynote remarks by badminton legend and national coach Pullela Gopichand, who highlighted how analytics is increasingly shaping elite performance. The day also featured high-energy startup pitch sessions where 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.
Complementing this spirit of innovation, the white paper launched by Sportscom and CoLLearn charted a roadmap to strengthen India’s data-driven journey. The report’s key recommendations include building centralised data ecosystems for federations and franchises, investing in talent such as data analysts and performance scientists, ensuring legal and ethical safeguards around athlete data, leveraging Indian sports-tech startups, and expanding analytics beyond cricket into sports like football, kabaddi, athletics, and hockey.
“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. The launch of Beyond Instinct: India’s Sporting Future in Data adds to this momentum, providing a roadmap for how data can be the bedrock of India’s sporting journey,” said Mr. Jalaj Dani, President, Sportscom.
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. With manufacturers like Cosco India, Freewill Sports (Nivia), Stag International, and Shiv Naresh on board, discussions also reflected the strong role of Indian industry in building self-reliant sporting infrastructure.
With policy-makers, investors, corporates, and entrepreneurs all aligned, the conclave established itself as a pivotal platform where sport and enterprise converge to chart India’s sporting future.
