ISSO continues to redefine school sports with record growth, new initiatives and global collaborations
Ahmedabad, August 10
The International Schools Sports Organisation, under the leadership of Namrata Adani, is set for its biggest season yet, with more than 630 schools and over 28,000 student-athletes expected to participate in the 2026-27 season, according to a press release.
As an Advisory Board Member of ISSO and Founding Director and Promoter of Adani International School, Ahmedabad, Namrata Adani has advocated a holistic approach to education, integrating the IB and Cambridge curricula to provide students with global learning opportunities. Building on this vision, ISSO is strengthening India's school sports ecosystem through structured competitions, high-performance training, coach education, career guidance and international collaborations.
Over the past two years, ISSO has grown from 440 schools in 2024-25 to 510 schools in 2025-26, and now to more than 630 schools. Student participation has risen from 21,100 to nearly 24,900, and is expected to exceed 28,000 this season, reflecting the growing confidence of schools, parents and educators in the organisation.
Speaking on ISSO's continued growth, Namrata Adani said, "Every child deserves the opportunity to discover the transformative power of sport. At ISSO, we are building an ecosystem where young athletes are encouraged not only to compete, but also to lead, learn and grow. The remarkable growth of ISSO reflects the trust that schools, educators and parents have placed in this vision. As we expand our reach, we remain committed to nurturing talent, empowering coaches, creating new opportunities and ensuring that every student has the platform to realise their full potential."
Beyond competitions, ISSO is building a comprehensive sports ecosystem. ISSO IGNITE offers residential high-performance training camps led by nationally and internationally accredited coaches, while ISSO Academy is strengthening India's coaching ecosystem through internationally recognised education and certification programmes delivered in partnership with the International School Sport Federation (ISF) Academy, FIBA, the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF), the Badminton World Federation (BWF) and Kukkiwon.
ISSO has also launched SCORE (Sports Career Opportunities Reimagined), connecting students with universities, industry leaders and sports professionals to explore academic and career pathways in sport. It has further expanded opportunities through its collaboration with the DP World Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI), creating structured pathways for young golfers.
The momentum continues through September 2026, when ISSO will host national championships in Football, Tennis, Chess, Swimming, Judo, Taekwondo, Karate and Badminton, followed by several marquee events during the remainder of the season.
Under Namrata Adani's leadership, ISSO is creating a stronger foundation for the future of school sport in India. By combining quality competition with world-class coaching, career awareness and global partnerships, the organisation is helping shape the next generation of athletes, coaches and sports professionals.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Impressive numbers! 28,000 student-athletes is no small feat. As someone who works in education, I appreciate the holistic approach—combining IB and Cambridge curricula with sports is exactly what modern education needs. The SCORE initiative for career guidance in sports is particularly forward-thinking.
As a mother of two school-going kids, this gives me hope. My son is a budding badminton player and we've struggled to find proper coaching and competition platforms. ISSO Academy partnering with BWF and ITTF for coach education is exactly what we need. 👏
While the growth is commendable, I hope ISSO ensures equal access for students from smaller towns and less privileged backgrounds. Sports infrastructure in India remains heavily urban-centric. Would love to see a concrete plan for rural outreach and scholarships for talented kids who can't afford these programs.
The golf collaboration with PGTI is a game-changer! 🏌️ Golf is still seen as an elite sport in India, and giving school kids structured pathways through ISSO could help discover talent early. Also great to see sports like judo and taekwondo being included—not just cricket and football!
Namrata Adani's vision is genuinely transformative. The IGNITE residential camps with internationally accredited coaches could be the answer to India's coaching shortage. We have the raw talent; we just need proper training infrastructure. Hope this model gets replicated across more states soon!
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