Budget allocations for R&D in sports science will ensure ‘paradigm shift’ in sports ecosystem: Ramji Srinivasan

In a year when Indian athletes are gearing up for highly-anticipated Asian Games and will kick-start their preparation for the Paris Olympics 2024, the Sports Ministry has rightly got the allocation of Rs. 3,397.32 crores, a significant increase in Union Budget, from Government of India.

Meanwhile, the sports ministry has acknowledged the significance of the sports science and scientific training of athletes by making a provision of Rs. 13 crores for the National Centre of Sports Science and Research.

At a time when countries are striving for sporting excellence and putting more effort and attention towards sports science and scientific training of athletes, the grant for R&D in sports science is being welcomed by a prominent expert in the business.

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Mr. Ramji Srinivasan, India’s former Strength and Conditioning coach and Founder/Director of Sports Dynamix, believes allocation is a ‘fantastic move’ and termed February 1, (Union Budget Day) as ‘red-letter day.’

“This move will bring a paradigm shift in the Indian sports community. The responsibility is now to have the right people at the right place rather than wrong people at the right place or right people at the wrong place. This has to be thread very carefully to make the system work, or else it would just be another run of the mill show,” Mr. Srinivasan told The Quotes.

While noting down the crucial aspects of this specific allocation to National Centre of Sports Science and Research, Mr. Srinivasan stated that introduction of new research and use of the latest cutting-edge technology in collecting data and by inferring it, Indian sports ecosystem will be able to shift its boundaries and raise the bar in sports science in India.

“I am always of the view that Indians should have our own data analytical system in place rather than borrowed knowledge,” added Mr. Srinivasan.

He further claimed that top-notch education institutions like IITs, IISC, BITS and AFMCs, can acts as a ‘connecting point to bring in the latest sports technology to the world of sports.’

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In conclusion, Mr, Srinivasan suggested that it’s important to put the right people, who don’t hesitate to take up responsibility for performance of the athletes at any level. “Window dressing is the biggest bane for our weak performance at crucial tournaments,” Mr. Srinivasan concluded. 

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