02-05-2025
‘Academics and sports should go hand in hand'
Take any sport. Only 1% make it to the top and even less make it to a podium finish. The remaining 99% — although they endure similar tough regimes including personal hardships, gruelling fitness and skill sessions — soon fade into oblivion. What happens to them, what do they do for a living, do they ever make it to the podium?
Those were the leading questions that Woxsen University-led collaboration, including ace sportspersons representing their private sports academies, discussed here on Friday. They also formally announced their partnership and believed they have the answers, in the 'marriage' of academics and sports.
'In India, people often go to extremes—it's either all about academics, like starting IIT coaching in Class 6, or all about sports with education completely ignored. What about the 99% (sportspeople who don't succeed), or even who succeed in sport, how do they exit and manage a good life after sport? We need mentorships, exit points, sports and education at every level. Together we are trying to address this problem,' said Pullela Gopichand, India's chief national badminton coach.
For former Indian cricketer and retired senior selector of the national cricket team, MSK Prasad, who endorses Gopichand's philosophy, 'Sports is about the attitude to keep fighting, it's not about physical activity. The process will make the champion; we will address that.'
Also sharing the common vision was Olympian and long jumper Anju Bobby George. Academics and sports should go hand in hand. This platform is for those 99% who can take up alternative pathways and go on to make podium finishes in their careers, they agreed.
The academies owned by Mr. Gopichand, Mr. Prasad and Ms. George, as part of the MoU, will partner with WU, where a sports science centre with sports biomechanics for technical skill and physical conditioning is set up.
According to sports science company, SixS Sports, the chief collaborator, the partnership signals a new era of athlete development, combining education, biomechanics, mental training, and elite mentorship.
The other collaborators were WU vice-president Raul V. Rodriguez, SixS Sports CEO Antony Chacko, Sporthood co-founder Arun V. Nair, Executive Chairman Bangarra Group Anil Nair, Gaurav Sharma of Physio Karma and Ritesh Goud of Samyuktha School.
