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Star’s Sanjay Gupta on India’s booming sports ecosystem
MUMBAI: In 2017, the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) had set a goal envisioning 30 crore kids playing at least one hour a day. This vision had to battle the mindsets of parents, schools and businesses, the main roadblock that would have come in the way.
A year down the line, the CII Scorecard 2018 forum saw Star India MD Sanjay Gupta praising the thought and vision to make India play. He said, “It has been a year since then, and I cannot express how proud I am of the magnitude of change in just one year.”
Gupta also compared the IPL viewership with the number of people who voted in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, stating, “Over 70 crore fans came in to enjoy IPL – 70 crore! Compare this to the number of people who voted in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the biggest elections that India has even seen, of 55 crore. And they all spent a lot more time, glued to their television sets or mobile screens, enjoying this spectacle. Such a growth in an established sport like cricket is truly remarkable.”
Five years ago, the Indian sports industry only had two domestic leagues, but now there are over 15 leagues across kabaddi, football, wrestling, boxing and badminton.
He believes that the Khelo India school games, launched this year are perhaps the best marker of this shift. For the first time, the spotlight was on a grassroots sports program. 16-year old Nisar Ahmed, who missed breaking the world record in 100-metre sprint by 0.2 seconds, has now been selected as one of the 14 athletes to undergo training by Usain Bolt’s coach in Jamaica. Another athlete is from Tamil Nadu named Sumathira Balakrishnan, who completed the 400 metre, just 1.38 seconds behind the Rio Olympics’ gold winner. With scholarships being given to 734 young and upcoming sports stars in this edition itself, it has provided a template for shaping the future of these boys and girls.
Gupta believes that while there is no contention that sports is good for society, private enterprises have proven that sports is good for business as well. The sports start-up ecosystem is buzzing with activity. Entrepreneurs are building business models across the length and breadth of sports – from eduSports that enables schools to adopt sports education, Anthill Creations that creates cost effective play areas in unused spaces, ‘Sports For All’ to GoSporto that gives people access to playgrounds around them.
“All the startups have resulted in a step change in the sports industry, which has grown from $1.3 billion to $2.7 billion in just a matter of five years. And in my mind, this journey has only begun. Sports is still at 0.1 per cent share of our GDP, while globally the industry is sized at ~0.5 per cent of GDP share. Given where we are, we have the momentum to become a $10 billion industry in the next five to seven years,” Gupta added.
Large corporates have already shown interest and committed their support to CII’s “Making India Play” fund. The companies are Tata Trust, HCL, Ambuja Cement, Bharti Foundation and ACC.
“Overall contribution towards corporate social responsibility is close to $1.8 billion or approximately Rs 12,000 crore every year. Even if we invest half this fund, Rs 6,000 crore towards building this infrastructure and capabilities, we will be able to touch 12 crore kids in the first year itself. Over the next few years, we will be able to reach out to every single kid in the country. It can truly catapult sports to another orbit,” he added.
In the end, Gupta urged all stakeholders present at the event and across the country to invest their CSR fund towards building sports.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
