High-level sports are a prime venue for the expression of human beauty, wrote David Foster Wallace in an article in the New York Times, back when Roger Federer was dominating the tennis world with his aesthetics.

In a society where studies and scoring more marks than your competitors in school are considered benchmarks, sports have been ignored, more often than not. Why are you wasting your time playing, go to your tuition class, I want to see you score 100 out of 100 in Maths.

This is exactly how every Indian parents put pressure on their kids, and attune their minds to be engineers or doctors. Rest everything is looked down upon and sports is the least, sports teachers are pariahs among their peers.

The importance of sports and what it does to the physical and mental well-being of a child often tends to be ignored. How’s your kid faring, how much is the PCM score, next did they get admission to IIT, or are you placing them in any other college for an engineering degree?

It isn’t just the sportspersons that you see on the field, track, or court but the many behind-the-scenes professionals, global marketing experts, sports analysts, etc. The sports industry offers a diverse range of career options for those who have experience and expertise in sports.

Although the obsession with doing well in studies remains, certain parents are slowly realising the importance of sports and what it does in terms of physical fitness, mental well-being, and inculcating skill sets.

Once just an extracurricular activity, sports is gradually getting integrated into mainstream education. The Government of India through some crucial initiatives aims to promote sports education and identify and nurture talents.

Schools and universities are increasingly offering specialized courses in sports management, physical education, and coaching across the country by fostering a more professional approach to sports.

Career options are in plenty for those aspiring to make a living out of sports – sports journalism (to work as writers, commentators, specialist doctors and physiotherapists, psychologists, technologists, or general sports management), and work as coaches.

Companies like Eventbrite, Aventri, and Infront Sports & Media specialize in managing sports events and offer careers in event logistics, sponsorship management, and operations.Sportswear companies like Nike, Adidas, and Pumaseek passionate individuals for marketing, branding, sales, and public relations.

Fitness organizations such as Gold’s Gym, Planet Fitness, and Lifetime Fitness offer roles for sports enthusiasts in fitness training, program management, customer engagement, and marketing.

Here is the list of prominent sports universities/ institutions in India. These institutions not only focus on the theoretical aspects of sports education but also emphasize practical training, helping to create well-rounded professionals who contribute to the growing sports ecosystem in India.

• National Sports University (NSU), Imphal
• Tamil Nadu Physical Education and Sports
• Swarnim Gujarat Sports University
• Delhi Sports University
• Haryana Sports University
• Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports, Patiala
• National Academy of Sports Management, Mumbai
• Centre for Sports Science, Chennai