India’s sports industry is expected to grow significantly, with key figures such as Leander Paes, Prakash Padukone, Viswanathan Anand, and Geet Sethi providing insights into how strategic reforms and investments can transform the sector. Their opinions at the ABP Network’s Ideas of India 2025 summit highlight key areas where businesses can capitalise on new opportunities.
Professionalising Federations
Prakash Padukone emphasised the importance of professionalising sports federations in order to attract more sponsorship and corporate partnerships. A business-oriented approach will promote growth through sponsorships, advertisements, and media partnerships.
He said, “We have abundant talent in the country, but many previously lacked opportunities. Over the last 15 years, this has changed significantly. The sports federations must be professionalized. Talent is not the issue, nor is funding a problem now. The government is doing its part, and people are receiving support, but it is crucial that sports federations become more involved. These federations need to operate like corporations. Federations control the sports. It is their responsibility to encourage and promote sports.”
Government Support and Infrastructure Development
Leander Paes stood for the establishment of regional sports academies, similar to the BCCI’s cricket model. Real estate investments in sports infrastructure, such as multi-sport venues, can also boost sports tourism and brand visibility.
“I am concerned about tennis. Our association is currently facing the Supreme Court. We should learn from what the BCCI has done for cricket and follow its model of establishing hundreds of cricket clubs in every region of India. We should also commend Khelo India, as ₹1500 crores have been allocated for it. That’s not just a sports budget; that’s specifically a Khelo India budget,” he said.
Furthermore, Viswanathan Anand, said, “In India, I work to identify talent and provide them with all the resources they need. Winning medals will inspire more people to take up sports as a career option. When sports become a mass movement in our country, that’s when true transformation will happen. Currently, we are competitive in sports but often miss out narrowly. We shouldn’t be satisfied with these close misses; that’s how we will grow as a sporting nation. In India, federations should be reformed to become more accommodating and spontaneous. Many chess players have started their own academies.”
Geet Sethi, 6-time World Champion of Billiards/Snooker and Founder of Olympic Gold Quest, said, “The reason why we are not producing Olympic level sportspersons is that sports in India don’t have the money for the talent to be nurtured. Socioeconomics, genetics, and subconscious self-belief are the three things which will drive India to sporting excellence. Today, each member of the Olympic contingent is more confident which was not the case before.”
Conclusion
What we learned from this discussion is that investing in sports science and technology innovations (for example, artificial intelligence for talent scouting and performance tracking) will create a long-term talent pipeline for tech and sports companies.
The rise of niche sports provides an opportunity for businesses to enter into global sponsorship and media rights deals. As India’s global competitiveness grows, brands can leverage the country’s sporting success to increase visibility. India’s sports industry has enormous business potential due to infrastructure investments, sponsorships, and partnerships. Businesses that embrace these opportunities can help shape India’s rise as a global sports hub.
