Anurag Thakur emphasises the importance of sports science at National Centres of Excellence

New Delhi: Sports minister Anurag Thakur emphasised the importance of sports science at the National Centres of Excellence in the country while addressing the Bharat Sports Science Conclave, here on Wednesday.

The one-day conclave was also 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.

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 the Sports minister.

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 Centres 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 catalyse 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 instill a culture of precision analytics, and evidence-based training methods."

The conclave also had a special session by TOPS CEO, Cmde PK Garg and a presentation on Integrity and Fair Play by Virendra Rajput, Senior Project Associate, National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA).