Indian cricket star and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) captain Smriti Mandhana has expressed her vision for India to become a true sporting powerhouse, emphasizing the importance of structured growth in the country’s sports ecosystem. This perspective aligns with the newly developed “Sports-Forward Nation” report, a collaborative effort by RCB and the Sports and Society Accelerator, which aims to build a comprehensive strategy for India’s sporting ambitions.
The report highlights four key pillars essential for the growth of Indian sports: commerce, technology, performance, and societal impact. These pillars serve as the foundation for a ten-step roadmap that seeks to establish a strong ecosystem where sports play a central role in national progress. Extensive research and insights from industry leaders have shaped this document, which also underscores the need for accessible sports participation from the grassroots to elite levels.
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The “Sports-Forward Nation” initiative showcases case studies demonstrating significant advancements in sports commercialization, the rise of sports technology businesses, improvements in performance initiatives, and the role of sports in social development. A key takeaway is the growing integration of sports as a mainstream industry with financial viability and development potential across multiple disciplines.
Mandhana, a key advocate for the initiative, highlighted the impact of structured competitions like domestic cricket, the Indian Premier League (IPL), and the Women’s Premier League (WPL) in providing exposure and financial independence to female cricketers. She emphasized the importance of expanding such opportunities across other sports, enabling more young girls to pursue athletics by choice and achieve success. She expressed her enthusiasm for being part of this movement with RCB, hoping to use sports as a tool for positive change.
RCB’s Chief Operating Officer, Rajesh Menon, reinforced the franchise’s commitment to actively contributing to the growth of Indian sports. He stated that RCB’s commercial and sporting experiences in the IPL have provided valuable insights, which they now aim to share to help shape India’s broader sports industry. He stressed the need for collective participation from all stakeholders to create a structured sports ecosystem that operates efficiently and nurtures talent effectively.
As part of this vision, initiatives like the “Made of Bold” sports development program and the RCB Innovation Lab Indian Sports Summit have played a pivotal role in producing the “Sports-Forward Nation” report. These platforms reflect RCB’s commitment to sports development and fostering an environment where athletes have the resources they need to excel.
The origins of the report trace back to the RCB Innovation Lab Indian Sports Summit held in November 2023, which served as India’s first major international forum discussing sports holistically. The summit gathered key figures from the industry, including India’s G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant, Olympic champions Abhinav Bindra and Neeraj Chopra, cricketers Brendon McCullum and Smriti Mandhana, as well as IPL Chairman Arun Dhumal. Their insights played a crucial role in shaping the findings of the report.
The overarching goal of “Sports-Forward Nation” is to establish sports as an integral part of Indian life by 2047, contributing to a developed and progressive India. With strategic planning, structured investment, and collective effort, the country is poised to take major strides towards becoming a global sporting force.
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