Joydeep Pushes for Faster Progress at Sportstar Focus Bihar Conclave
Joydeep Pushes for Faster Progress at Sportstar Focus Bihar Conclave
CWG gold medallist calls for sharper focus on improving India’s sports ecosystem amid manufacturing, funding and last-mile hurdles discussed in Patna.
Patna played host to the Sportstar Focus Bihar Conclave at the Taj City Centre, where experts dissected India’s trajectory in sports, from Olympic ambitions to domestic manufacturing and grassroots development. The discussions underscored the need to balance investments across traditional and emerging sports while ensuring that improvements are sustained over time.
Joydeep Karmakar, a Commonwealth Games gold medallist, stressed that India’s progress is clear but the rate of improvement must accelerate. He noted that even with the advantages a host nation gets, medal counts could still be modest if growth is not rapid enough, suggesting a potential 25-50% rise in medals but acknowledging that India will face stiff competition from other nations. The overarching message was that while the country is advancing, the rest of the world is advancing as well.
Deepthi Bopaiah, a board member at the GoSports Foundation, highlighted youth involvement in new disciplines such as skating, sport climbing, and football, while urging a balance so traditional sports continue to receive attention and funding. The takeaway was clear: nurture the breadth of sports and ensure long-term commitment rather than short-term spikes in popularity.
On the manufacturing front, Lakshita Mehrotra from the Foundation for Economic Development flagged cost disadvantages and limited visibility for Indian brands. She pointed out that an Olympic bid, if successful, could galvanize India’s sports manufacturing sector, provided domestic demand grows and brands gain a stronger footing in the market.
Shiv Prakash Singh, founder of Shiv Naresh Sports, argued that India still accounts for only about 0.5% of global sports equipment trade, underscoring the need to expand the domestic market and improve export potential. He emphasized the importance of last-mile connectivity for MSMEs to bring products to consumers across the country.
Girish Venkatasubban, along with other panellists, called for closer cooperation between state governments and industry partners to unlock the sector’s potential. The AIFF chief cautioned that overnight changes are unlikely in a country of 1.5 billion people, pointing to the scale of transformation required.
The conclave concluded that hosting the Olympics could boost manufacturing, sponsorship, and global interest in Indian sports, but translating talk into action requires concrete policy steps, better funding mechanisms, and a robust pipeline from grassroots to elite levels. The event highlighted both opportunities and obstacles on India’s path to becoming a major force in world sport, with Bihar’s gathering casting a spotlight on the country’s ambition and the work still needed to sustain it.
