Tata Steel and CII host roundtable to boost rural sports, paving way for future olympians
Jamshedpur, February 16: The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) in collaboration with Tata Steel, successfully hosted a roundtable discussion titled “Vision 2036: Grassroots to Greatness – Advancing Sports Development in Rural India,” on February 15 at the Centre for Excellence (CFE), Jamshedpur.
The event, themed “Igniting a Thousand Fires”— brought together key stakeholders to discuss strategies for fostering grassroots sports initiatives and unlocking the potential of rural India in shaping the nation’s sporting future.
The day-long event featured presentations by leading sports foundations and service providers showcasing successful programs in rural areas. These presentations were followed by a panel discussion with prominent sports personalities, moderated by Hemant Gupta, Head, Sports Academies, Tata Steel. The discussion focused on preventing dropouts, promoting lifelong participation, and sharing policy insights to support sustainable growth in rural sports, with a specific focus on developing talent for the 2036 Olympic Games.
Speakers included Chanakya Chaudhary, Vice-President, Corporate Services, Tata Steel and Chairman, CII National Committee on Sports 2024-25, N S Johal, CEO – TOPS, Sports Authority of India, Sunil Misra, Principal Advisor, CII, Manu Khanna, Senior Manager, HCL Foundation and a panel of distinguished sports personalities (Purnima Mahato, Asmita Dorjee, Soma Barua and Ankita Bhakat).
Participating organisations included Bridges of Sports, Anantapur Sports Academy, Dribble Academy, Tata Steel, Indian Youth Soccer Association, Yogeshwar Dutt Foundation, Great Goals Trust, Piramal Foundation, Rural Development Foundation, Roundglass Foundation, Edusports, Roots Foundation, Pro Sports Development, and CEQUIN.
The event commenced with a visit to the JRD Tata Sports Complex, followed by registration and networking opportunities. Delegates arrived in Jamshedpur on February 14 from Delhi, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, and Chandigarh.
This initiative aimed to encourage collaboration between policymakers, corporates, and sports foundations to strengthen support for sports initiatives in rural India. The CII and Tata Steel consider this roundtable a crucial step in building a unified approach to advancing sports in rural areas and developing future champions.
Tata Steel, JSW, and Sports for Change by HCL Foundation sponsored the event.
The Avenue Mail