Athlete development

Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna: International experts and academicians participating in the two-day international conference titled “Grassroots to Greatness: Talent Identification and Athlete Development” here at the Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports (NSNIS) on Friday unequivocally emphasised the need for India to develop quality coaches to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of being among the top-5 sporting nations in the world by 2047.

Talking about the initiative, Union Minister of Youth Affairs & Sports Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya said: “We are proud to host the 2nd International Conference on "Grassroots to Greatness – Talent Identification & Athlete Development", continuing our commitment to sports excellence. India aims to become a global sports powerhouse. Initiatives like Khelo India are creating pathways for young athletes… Our focus is on grassroots development, sports infrastructure, and leveraging technology for athlete success. This conference brings together global experts to share best practices in talent identification, LTAD, and sports science integration.”p

NSNIS Patiala is the apex national institute for sports coaching and sports science education under the Sports Authority of India (SAI). The conference saw participation from 600-plus aspiring coaches, eminent athletes, sports scientists, administrators, academicians, and students, along with 30+ renowned national and international experts, making it one of the largest knowledge-sharing platforms in the field of sports development in the country.