Integrating Technology and Hands-on Training: The Future of Sports Education in India

The first-ever Sports Tech Conclave in India highlighted the importance of combining e-learning with practical experience to shape the future of sports education.

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The first-ever Sports Tech Conclave in India conducted by IIT Madras in association with Outlook Business featured a panel discussion on integration of technology in sports education. The event involved other experts in the field such as Dr. Colonel Anup Krishnan, Director of DY Patil University, School of Sports Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Dr. G Kishore, Principal and Regional Head of LNCPE Trivandrum, Nilesh Kulkarni, the Founder Director of the Indian Institute of Sport Management (IISM), and Dr. Mahesh Panchagnula of IIT Chennai moderating the discussion.

The panel, which lasted for 45 minutes, discussed the need for e-learning, sporting technology and distance learning in addressing increased demand of sports education in the country. Dr. Anup Krishnan pointed out that, although there are some areas of sports science in which all pedagogical methods could be taught online, many of the skills can only be developed offline. "Activities such as three dimensional motion analysis or anti-doping measures require at least a part of the training to be done offline in the research lab or in the field," he suggested. He stressed that most skills in sports science, particularly those related to elite athletes, cannot be fully conveyed through video or audio (online) content alone.