Committed To Embracing Technology For Sports Advancement

The premier technology institution — Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) — has a rich history of collaboration with various industries in the country and has made immense physical and intellectual contributions. However, while studying the context of sports science and technology, Prof. Dr. Mahesh Panchagnula, Head, Centre of Excellence in Sports Science Analytics (CESSA), IIT Madras, found a disconnect between the premier technology institution and the sports community, which led to the establishment of a platform at IIT Madras in 2020 to bridge the gap and collaborate with the sporting fraternity, coaches, athletes, sports scientists, exercise physiologists, and others involved in supporting athletes.

CESSA stands on three pillars. “We develop science, technology, and products that athletes, coaches, and the fraternity can use, and focus on sports education,” he elaborated.

The centre wants to harness the many opportunities to develop simple and easy-to-make products in India, like the electronic timing system used in competitive swimming. “The technology is indeed relatively simple yet crucial for accurate timekeeping in swimming events, and CESSA has made a promising start in developing such products,” explained Panchagnula. Another significant area of focus at CESSA is the startups in sports science.

The Government of India established Swayam and the National Programme on Technology Enhanced Learning (NPTEL), which have become the world’s most active online learning platforms for various subjects. “We have added content related to sports science, including courses on strength and conditioning, nutrition, sports psychology, and more, to provide high-quality education and training for physical education teachers, athletes, and sports enthusiasts,” added Panchagnula.

CESSA also wants to look at anti-doping, awareness, and ethics in sports for aspiring athletes. It is also working on introducing physical medicine and rehabilitation in sports and designing the sports conditioning programme alongside the National Centre of Sports Sciences and Research (NCSSR), Sports Authority of India (SAI) and all other stakeholders. “Together, we can make a big difference in the community and see our athletes bring laurels to the country. Additionally, there is a plan to develop courses on sports data analytics to support India’s performance in international sports events like the Olympics,” he said.

The collaborative efforts of various organisations and industry partners are required to positively impact India’s sports community.