Infosys Foundation, GoSports expand athlete support with ‘Gear for Gold’

BENGALURU: Infosys Foundation and GoSports Foundation have expanded their high-performance sports partnership, upgrading the earlier ‘Girls for Gold’ initiative into the broader and more inclusive ‘Gear for Gold’ programme. The refreshed effort now supports male, female and para-athletes, aiming to build a sharper, science-led talent pipeline through stronger academies and better training systems.

The programme will focus on six disciplines: badminton, table tennis, weightlifting, boxing, athletics and shooting, using an academy-first approach. Support includes infrastructure upgrades, modern conditioning and recovery systems, advanced equipment, scholarships, coaching, competition exposure and guidance on nutrition and injury management. Workshops, certifications and global exposure visits are designed to raise the capabilities of athletes, coaches and staff.

Since 2022, the partnership has assisted five academies: Lakshya Shooting Club, the Mary Kom Regional Boxing Foundation, the Raman TT High Performance Centre, the Sathish Sivalingam Sports Foundation and the Yadav Pro Badminton Academy. Three more: Usha School of Athletics, the Karnam Malleswari Foundation and the Malik Badminton Academy, join the programme this year.

These interventions have delivered 15 international and 58 national medals so far. Standout performers include shooter Ojasvi Thakur, shooter Isha Taksale, table-tennis prospect Ahona Ray, badminton player Hithaishree L Rajaiah and track athlete Anjali PV.

Sumit Virmani, trustee at Infosys Foundation, said the expansion reinforces its commitment to “holistic and inclusive” athlete development. Nandan Kamath, founder and managing trustee at GoSports Foundation, said the new phase will help identify and nurture promising athletes across India through “environments powered by sports sciences.”