IIT Madras plans to allocate Rs 5 crore for sports start-ups and introduce a sports science course

IIT Madras recently hosted the 'Sports Tech Start-Up Conclave' in New Delhi on July 12-13, 2024, under the auspices of its Center of Excellence in Sports Science and Analytics (CESSA). The event aimed to bolster indigenous innovation and technological support for India's sports sector, aligning with the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat.

Sponsored by Dream Sports, Vedanta, and SFA Play, the conclave highlighted IIT Madras' commitment to nurturing sports start-ups and supporting India's aspiration to host the Olympics in 2036. A diverse array of start-ups presented pioneering ideas, including apps using vision technology for cricket training, athlete management systems tailored for India, and unique sports learning platforms, evaluated by a distinguished panel of judges.

IIT Madras also announced a Rs 5 crore investment fund and incubation support through IIT Madras Pravartak Technologies for ten innovative sports tech start-ups. The institute aims to incubate 200 such start-ups over the next five years, fostering a culture of sports innovation.

Professor V Kamakoti, Director of IIT Madras, emphasized the institute's dedication to merging sports with technology, anticipating significant growth in the sports technology market. He stressed the need for indigenous products catering to Indian athletes' health monitoring and performance assessment.

In educational initiatives, IIT Madras introduced a new Bachelor of Sports Science program and plans for Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Sports Management, integrating industry connections and sports examples into AI/ML and Data Science courses. Additionally, five new sports courses on NPTEL are slated for launch by CESSA.

Under the 'EduSwasth' initiative, IIT Madras aims to enhance school physical education through tech interventions, employing IP hardware solutions and IoT devices to capture comprehensive data on PE sessions for detailed analytics.

IIT Madras CESSA also focuses on promoting chess at grassroots levels through digital platforms and anti-cheating technologies, aiming to build a robust ecosystem benefiting local players financially.

Looking ahead, collaborations and initiatives discussed at the conclave underscore IIT Madras' commitment to advancing sports education, technology, and research, pivotal to India's global sporting aspirations.