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Patiala Hosts 'Grassroots to Greatness' Sports Conference for 2036 Olympics

The Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports in Patiala is organizing a major international conference titled "Grassroots to Greatness" on February 6-7. The event aims to strengthen India's athlete development framework with a focus on scientific and holistic approaches for long-term Olympic success, particularly targeting the 2036 Games. It will feature over 550 participants, including coaches and scientists, along with more than 30 national and international experts. The conference seeks to create a unified roadmap for talent identification and elite performance preparation.

Key Points: International Sports Conference on Talent ID & Athlete Development in Patiala

  • Focus on 2036 Olympics
  • Talent identification models
  • Holistic athlete support
  • Integrating sports science
  • Over 550 participants
3 min read

SAI NSNIS Patiala to host international conference 'Grassroots to Greatness' on Feb 6 to 7

SAI NSNIS Patiala hosts 'Grassroots to Greatness' conference Feb 6-7, focusing on scientific athlete development for India's 2036 Olympic vision.

"strengthening India's athlete development ecosystem through scientific, holistic, and sustainable approaches - SAI NSNIS Patiala"

Patiala, Jan 28

Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports, Patiala, the apex national institute for sports coaching and sports science education under the Sports Authority of India, will organise an international conference titled "Grassroots to Greatness: Talent Identification and Athlete Development" on February 6-7 aligned with the nation's long-term vision and preparation for the 2036 Summer Olympic Games.

This prestigious conference continues the annual international conference tradition initiated by SAI NSNIS Patiala in the financial year 2024-2025.

The inaugural conference, "Harmonizing Movement: Integrating Yoga with Sports Science for Peak Performance," received an overwhelming response from national and international experts. Building on that success, the upcoming edition focuses on strengthening India's athlete development ecosystem through scientific, holistic, and sustainable approaches.

The conference is expected to witness over 550 participants from across India, including coaches, sports scientists, administrators, academicians, and students, along with 30+ renowned national and international experts, making it one of the largest knowledge-sharing platforms in the field of sports development in the country.

The two-day conference will be graced by Minister of State for Youth Affairs & Sports Smt. Raksha Nikhil Khadse.

Some of the eminent international experts set to enlighten the conference are Prof. Nenad Trunic (Dean of Faculty of Physical Education & Management in Sport, Singidunum University, Serbia), FIBA basketball coach Richard Lee Brooks, Farruh Ahmedov (Head of Scientific Department, Samarkand State University), Dr. Pinar Yaprak (Assistant Professor, Türkiye), Prof. Dr. Hanno Felder (Acting Director, Olympic Training Center) and Dr. Martin Toms (Associate Professor of Global Sport Education & Coaching, Birmingham University, UK).

Senior coaches and officials from the Sports Authority of India (SAI) will actively participate, sharing their practical experiences and strategic insights in identifying young talent, building long-term development pathways, and preparing athletes for international success.

Developing athletes from grassroots to elite levels requires structured, data-driven, and holistic frameworks. Modern athlete development emphasizes the integration of physiological, psychological, technical, and tactical assessments, supported by sports science, analytics, biomechanics, and emerging technologies, while ensuring athlete well-being through mental health support, injury prevention, nutrition, recovery, and Long-Term Athlete Development (LTAD) models.

Key objectives of the conference

• Explore Talent Identification Models: Examine scientific and global best practices for early-stage talent detection and nurturing

• Strengthen Athlete Development Pathways: Design structured, long-term training and progression frameworks

• Integrate Sports Science & Technology: Highlight the role of analytics, biomechanics, physiology, and technology in performance optimization

• Promote Holistic Athlete Support: Address mental health, injury prevention, nutrition, recovery, and athlete well-being

• Foster Collaboration: Build a unified framework connecting grassroots initiatives with elite and high-performance systems

Through this international conference, SAI NSNIS Patiala aims to foster collaboration, exchange of ideas, and the creation of a unified and future-ready roadmap for athlete development, contributing significantly to India's Olympic aspirations for the 2036 Games.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

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Sarah B
As someone who follows sports science, it's great to see India hosting such a large-scale conference with international experts. The line-up from Serbia, Turkey, and the UK is impressive. Hope the insights lead to tangible changes in how young athletes are scouted and nurtured in villages and small towns.
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Vikram M
Patiala's NSNIS is doing great work. But I hope this isn't just another talk shop. The real challenge is implementing these "structured pathways" at the district and school level where infrastructure is lacking. We need less conference hall discussion and more action on the ground.
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Priya S
Wonderful news! Talent identification in rural India is so crucial. My cousin is a fantastic runner in our village in Punjab, but there's no system to spot and guide him. Conferences like this should lead to more scouts and training camps in non-metro areas. All the best to the organizers!
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Rohit P
"Grassroots to Greatness" is a powerful theme. For 2036, we need to start planning and investing NOW. Integrating yoga with sports science, as they did last year, is a unique Indian advantage we must leverage. Let's build champions! 💪
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Kavya N
Happy to see the focus on athlete well-being and mental health. Our athletes face immense pressure. A holistic, scientific system that supports them as people, not just performers, is the need of the hour. Hope the conference outcomes are shared publicly.

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