In June 2020, the Sports Ministry announced a plan to open up to 1,000 new Khelo India Centres over a four-year period, with at least one in each district of the country. The North-East states, including Jammu and Kashmir, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, and Ladakh, are scheduled to have two centers per district.

Former athletes will be hired by the individual state governments to help administer these centers as part of a projected low-cost and effective sports training institute. Financial support will be offered for past champion athletes’ salaries, purchase of equipment, sports kits, consumables, and participation in competitions and events.

Speaking about the decision, Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Shri Kiren Rijiju said, “It is our endeavour to make India one among the top 10 countries in the 2028 Olympics. To fulfill this goal we need to identify and nurture a large number of talented sportspersons from an early age. With the availability of good coaches and equipment facilities at the district-level Khelo India Centers, I am confident that we will be able to find the right children for the right sport and at the right time.”  

The Sports Ministry, in collaboration with state governments, has launched the Khelo India Centres to ensure the availability of grassroots-level sports infrastructure across the country.

The States-wise bifurcation includes:

1. Maharashtra – Opening of 36 Khelo India Centres in 30 districts with a budget estimate of Rs. 3.60 Crores.

2. Mizoram – Opening of 2 Khelo India Centres in Kolasib district with a budget estimate of Rs. 20 Lakhs.

3. Arunachal Pradesh- Opening of 52 Khelo India Centres in 26 districts with a budget estimate of Rs 4.12 Crores.

4. Madhya Pradesh – Opening of 4 Khelo India Centres with a budget estimate of Rs 40 Lakhs.

5. Karnataka – Opening of 31 Khelo India Centres with a budget estimate of Rs. 3.10 Crores.

6. Manipur – Opening of 16 Khelo India Centres with a budget estimate of Rs. 1.60 Crores.

7. Goa – Opening of 2 Khelo India Centres with a budget estimate of Rs. 20 Lakhs.

Considering these facts, it is obvious that football clubs are also popular and loved by people. They have a huge following and top brands like Nike, Puma, Coca Cola, Jeep, Chevrolet, Qatar Airways, Pepsi, and Adidas have signed multi-million dollar deals with top football clubs. Their fans are also very passionate about the clubs and are seen in the stadiums supporting them with full enthusiasm. So let us have a look upon the top 5 loved clubs of football.

Real Madrid CF

Real Madrid Club de Fútbol, popularly known as Real Madrid, is a Spanish football club based in the city of Madrid. It was founded in 1902 and its current coach is Zinadine Zidane. It has one of the most significant followers bases on social media, with 34.3 Million followers on Twitter and 88.9 Million followers on Instagram. Santiago Bernabéu is its home ground. Its worth was estimated to be $4.2 Billion in 2019. It was one of the founding members of the Spanish League La Liga when it started in 1929. At the domestic level, Real Madrid has won 65 trophies which consists of a record 33 La Liga titles, 19 Copa del Rey, 11 Supercopa de España, 1 Copa de la Liga and 1 Copa Eva Duarte. In Continental and World competitions, Real Madrid has won 26 trophies which consist of 13 European Cup/UEFA Champions League trophies, four UEFA Super Cups and two UEFA Cups. They have proved their mettle in International football also, where they have achieved a record seven club world championships. Some famous players to have played for this club are Christiano Ronaldo (former player), Zinadine Zidane, Gareth Bale.

FC Barcelona

Futbol Club Barcelona, popularly known as Barcelona or Barça, is a Spanish football club based in Barcelona, Spain. It was founded in 1899 and its current coach is Quique Setién. It has one of the most significant followers bases on social media, with 32.8 Million followers on Twitter and 87.4 Million followers on Instagram. Camp Nou is its home ground. Its worth was estimated to be $4.06 Billion in 2019. It was one of the founding members of the Spanish League La Liga in 1929. 

In domestic football, Barcelona has won 74 trophies which consists of a record 26 La Liga titles, 30 Copa del Rey, 13 Supercopa de España, 2 Copa de la Liga and 3 Copa Eva Duarte. In World and European competitions, 5 UEFA Champions League titles, 4 UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup, 5 UEFA Super Cup, 3 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, and 3 FIFA Club World Cups. Some famous players to have played for this club are Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Lionel Messi, Andres Iniesta etc.

Manchester United F.C.

Manchester United Football Club is an English football club. It is based in the city of Old Trafford, Manchester, England. It was founded in 1878  and its current manager is Ole Gunnar Solskjær. It competes in the Premier League. It has a large followers base on social media, with 22.2 Million followers on Twitter and 35.9 Million followers on Instagram. Old Trafford is its home ground. Its worth was estimated to be $3.81 Billion in 2019. It has won 20 League titles, 12 FA Cups, five League Cups and 21 FA Community Shields. They have also won 3 UEFA Champions Leagues, one UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup, one UEFA Europa League, one UEFA Super Cup, one Intercontinental Cup and one FIFA Club World Cup. Its famous players are Paul Pogba.

Juventus F.C.

Juventus Football Club, popularly known as Juventus or Juve, is an Italian football club based in Turin, Piedmont, Italy. The club was founded in 1897. Its present manager is Maurizio Sarri. It competes in the Serie-A league. It has a huge followers base on social media, with 8.1 Million followers on Twitter and 40.7 Million followers on Instagram. Its stadium is named Allianz Stadium. Juventus has won many trophies which include 35 official league titles, 13 Coppa Italia titles and 8 Supercoppa Italiana titles. At the World and International levels, it has won two European Cups / UEFA Champions Leagues, won Intercontinental Cups, 1 European Cup Winners’ Cup, 3 UEFA Cups, 2 UEFA Super Cups and one UEFA Intertoto Cup. Its famous players are Christiano Ronaldo, Paulo Dybala, G. Buffon.

Liverpool F.C.

Liverpool Football Club is an English football club based in Liverpool, England. It was founded in 1892 and its current manager is Jürgen Klopp. It has one of the largest followers base on social media, with 14.9 Million followers on Twitter and 26.6 Million followers on Instagram. Anfield is its home stadium. Its worth was estimated to be $ 2.18 Billion in 2019. At the domestic level, it has won 19 League titles, 15 FA Community Shields, 8 League Cups and 7 FA Cups. It has also won Premier League 2020. In World and European competitions, the club has won six European Cups, more than any other English club, four UEFA Super Cups, three UEFA Cups, and one FIFA Club World Cup. Its famous players are Steven Gerrard, Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk, Henderson etc.

1.Ravichandran Ashwin

He is the only player to dismiss all opposition players in a test series. He achieved this unique landmark in 2013 in the test series against Australia which was held in India. Ashwin took 29 wickets in 4 matches. Australia had used 16 players in 4 test matches during that series which were all dismissed by Ashwin once or more than once.

2. Shahid Afridi

Shahid Afridi played 398 One-Day International matches, where he scored 8064 runs with the help of 6 centuries and 39 half centuries. But he had never played 100 balls in an innings. Highest number of balls faced by him was 94 in an innings of 124 runs.

3. Sharjah Stadium

This stadium in UAE has hosted most no. of International ODI matches till this date (240 ODIs). People perceive that it would be Lord’s or MCC, but it is Sharjah Stadium.

4. Muttiah Muralitharan 

He is the player who has bowled the most no. of maiden overs in international cricket. He has bowled 1994 maiden overs (which means 11964 bowls). Muralidharan is also the only test player to take 800 wickets in his career.

5. Ryan Ten Doeschate 

He has the highest cricket ODI average which is 67.00 playing for Netherlands. The second highest ODI average is of Virat Kohli which is 59.33. Presently, no one looks even near to him.

6. Cricket in Olympics

Cricket was included in the Olympics only twice. The first time being in 1896 in the Athens Olympics. But that year competition didn’t occur because there were not enough teams to compete. The second time was in 1900 at the Paris Olympics. In that also, only two teams could compete- Great Britain and France. Great Britain won the Gold Medal.

7. Ishant’s Unfortunate Record

Ishant Sharma has unfortunately played a key role (Not only with the ball) in all the three highest individual scores made by batsmen against India in the 21st century till now. Alistair Cook made 294 runs in 2011, Michael Clarke made 329* runs in 2012 and Brendon McCullum made 302 runs in 2014. In these Innings, Ishant dropped them all in the early phase of their Innings which in turn helped them to reach the scores.

8. David Warner

He holds a rare record. David Warner is the only Australian cricketer in the past 100 years of cricket history, who played his first international cricket match in 2009 without playing even a single first class match before that.

9. Bapu Nadkarni’s Economy Bowling

In a test match against England in 1964, Bapu Nadkarni achieved an astonishing feat. Well known for bowling accurate line which didn’t let batsmen to score against him, Nadkarni’s figures read 31-27-5-0 in this match! He bowled 131 consecutive dot balls. English batsmen quoted that he was ‘unhittable’.

10. South Africa vs West Indies

In a match against West Indies, South Africa made the whole team ball. West Indies piled up 747 runs batting for over 200 overs. So, all 11 players got a chance to bowl. AB de Villiers bowled 21 overs taking 2 wickets and wicketkeeper Mark Boucher bowled 1.2 overs with 1 wicket. So, both wicket keeper and standing wicket keeper took wickets. Interestingly the lead bowler Shaun Pollock went back to the pavilion without a wicket in his bag!

11. Jayasuriya’s ODI wickets

Sanath Jayasuriya has more number of ODI wickets than Shane Warne. He has taken 323 wickets in 445 matches. Warne has taken 293 wickets in 194 ODI appearances. It’s strange how an opening batsman has more ODI wickets than a legendary bowler!

12. Chris Martin and B.S. Chandrashekhar

They are the only players to take more wickets in test cricket than the number of runs scored. Martin has scored 123 runs in 71 test matches while he has taken 233 wickets in them. Chandrashekhar has scored 167 runs and taken 242 wickets in his test career.

13. Jacques Kallis Records

Jacquess Kallis is a gem of a cricketer. In Test Cricket, he scored 13289 runs at an average of 55.37, which is better than Tendulkar’s average of 53.78. While talking about bowling, he has taken 292 wickets in test cricket at an average of 32.65 which is better than Zaheer’s average of 32.94.

Only Rahul Dravid(210) and Mahela Jayawardene (205) have taken more number of catches than him(200) in test cricket (except wicketkeepers).

14. Adam Gilchrist

Adam Gilchrist holds a unique record of playing the most number of International Test matches from Debut without being dropped. Gilchrist played 96 test matches from 5th November 1999 to 24th January 2008 without ever being dropped from the Australian team.

15. Jack Hobbs’s Centuries

Sir Jack Hobbs has an amazing record of scoring 199 centuries in first class Cricket, which is the most by any batsman in first class. He is also the leading run getter with 61760 runs in first class Cricket. He is considered as one of the best batsmen of First class Cricket

Harmanpreet Kaur (171* off 115 balls in 2017 Women’s World Cup Semifinal)

This can be considered as one of the most spectacular innings played in a major tournament. Harmanpreet is one of the most flamboyant players in the Indian Women’s Cricket team. The dominance of Australian women’s cricket team can be seen from the fact that they have won 6 out of the 11 ODI World Cups. India faced the Australian side in the semi finals of the tournament. The Australian’s had a star studded lineup consisting of Meg Lanning, Ellyse Perry, Villaini, Healy. It was an immensely difficult task to defeat the defending champions. India chose to bat first after winning the toss. Harmanpreet came in to bat at 35/2 after 9.2 overs. Then started the show. Harmanpreet started bashing the Australian bowlers in and out of the field. Her sheer class, brilliance and power was showcased throughout. She scored 171 not out of the 115 deliveries faced which consisted of 20 fours and 7 sixes. Her innings helped India to reach 281 in a rain reduced game of 42 overs each. India defeated Australia in this game by 36 runs. This is regarded as a milestone in Indian Women’s Cricket.

Gautam Gambhir (97 off 122 balls in 2011 World Cup Final)

This is one of the most underrated innings in cricketing history. Most of us remember the 2011 World Cup Final match played at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai for Dhoni’s 91* runs innings. Gambhir also played an equally good inning in this match. He came in after the dismissal of Virendra Sehwag in the first over itself. Sachin also got out in the 7th over. Understanding the gravity of the situation, Gambhir didn’t take any risk and started building up his innings. And then Gambhir played one of the most calm and poised knocks of the decade. He stayed on the crease till the 42nd over, in which he was bowled by Perera. He scored 97 runs with the help of 9 fours in the 122 balls that he faced against the fierce Sri Lankan bowling attack which had Lasith Malinga, Muralidharan and Kulasekara. The team effort ultimately led India to win this World Cup. This innings deserves to be in the list of the best innings of the decade because of the immense pressure under which it was played. Remaining calm and composed in a world cup final in front of your own home crowd, and that too when you haven’t won it for 28 years. This feat is certainly very difficult yet was achieved by Gambhir.

Rohit Sharma’s 264

Rohit is that kind of a player whom if you give a target, will double it and then chase it with ease. Rohit was making a comeback after injury in an ODI against Sri Lanka at Eden Gardens in 2014. He wasn’t looking in a good touch in the initial phase of his innings and was even dropped on 4. But then, he took his time to settle down a bit and the rest remains history. Once he got his rhythm back in the middle overs, he started his art of destruction. Be it frontfoot or backfoot, he was cutting, slicing, pulling, hooking and sweeping the outclassed bowlers. After completing the century, he took 51 more balls to score the second hundred and another 21 balls to reach 264. He hit 33 fours and 9 massive sixes to score 264 runs off the 173 balls that he faced. This innings is remembered as one of the most ruthless hittings of any bowling attack in ODIs. This record of 264 runs is still registered as the highest score by an individual in an ODI match.

Ben Stokes (2019 World Cup Final vs New Zealand)

A country which invented Cricket hadn’t won its ODI World Cup till 2019. The 2019 World Cup was happening on their home soil and the team was also full of in-form players. New Zealand batted first and set up a target of 242 in 50 overs. Stokes arrived at the crease when England’s innings was stumbling at 71/3 in the 20th over. Along with Buttler, he built up a partnership and steered England further. In the last 5 overs when wickets were falling at regular intervals, Stokes remained calm and instead of going for reckless shots, he took calculated risk. He mostly played grounded shots. He was converting 1s into 2s, and was diving to save his wicket. He scored 84 not out off the 98 balls that he faced with the help of 5 fours and 2 sixes. Finally, he tied the scores which led to a super over, in which again he scored 8 runs off 3 balls and ultimately led England to win this World Cup. Though there are many controversies about a boundary and the super over rules, yet this innings remains as one of the most iconic innings played at a big stage and that too in such a pressure situation.

Virat Kohli 133* 

2012 was a time when most of the Indian legends were in the phase of retiring and the new generation was taking the place. Although Kohli had announced his entry into the international level before this account by some good knocks, he was not yet established as such a great batsman as he is today. India was playing the CB tri series with Australia and Sri Lanka in Australia in February of 2012. The 11th match of the series held in Hobart became a knockout match for India due to the positions in the points table. To stay in the competition India required to chase down a target of 321 in mere 40 overs against Sri Lanka. Kohli stepped on the crease in the tenth over and then the world saw an unprecedented inning. He remained careful till the 24th over and then started changing his gears rapidly. He flicked Malinga and Kulasekara like a beast throughout the innings. He bashed four fours in the 31st over to Kulasekara. And then came the peak moment of this innings. Kohli hit Malinga for 2, 6, 4, 4, 4, 4 in the 35th over. He made Malinga look like a school kid in this over. India chased down the target of 321 in 36.4 overs. Kohli scored 133* off 86 balls including 16 fours and 2 sixes. This innings is a complete book of how to chase down targets in Cricket – steady and cautious in the beginning and power hitting towards the end. The fact that this was played on foreign soil adds to its glory. Since then, there has been no looking back for him. He is just evolving and evolving.

AB de Villiers 149 off 44 balls

South Africa was playing West Indies in the 2nd ODI on 16 January 2015 at the Wanderers. De Villiers came to bat in the 39th over after the fall of the first wicket. South Africa had a great start in this game but de Villiers made the end even greater. Captaining the side, in the next 44 balls he scored 149 runs. He made the records of fastest half century (in 16 balls) and fastest century (in 31 balls) in an ODI match. During this innings, he hit 9 fours and 16 massive sixes and proved his tag of Mr 360° true in this game. He literally hit the sixes all around the ground, ranging from third man to fine leg. The Windies bowlers were no match to de Villiers’s class in this game. A particular six, in the 47th over, which he hit on deep point off Russell’s yorker, is evident of ABD’s sheer masterclass.

Dhoni 91* World Cup Final 2011

Probably the most iconic innings played in the decade. India has to chase down the target of 274 in the 2011 world cup final. With early dismissals of Sehwag and Sachin, India was in a pressure situation from where Gambhir and Kohli steered India by a partnership of 83. In the 22nd over, Kohli got out with India still 161 away from the target. Dhoni pushed himself above in the lineup on the consultation of coach Gary Kirsten and Sachin Tendulkar. This was tactically a good decision as the opponent had 2 quality spinners including the likes of Muralidharan, which would have created difficulties if there were 2 lefties on the crease. From the first ball of the innings, Dhoni showed his firm intent of bringing back the World Cup to India. He very calmly built up his innings by taking his time in the beginning. But when the time was apt for slogging towards the end overs, he didn’t hesitate to do so even. By hitting 2 fours off Malinga in the 48th over, he confirmed the victory of India. In the next one, he hit Nuwan over long-on for a sweet six and thus India won the World Cup after 28 years. This innings has a special place in every Indian cricket fan’s memorabilia.

Yuvraj Singh’s 57* off 65 balls

The 2011 World Cup quarter final against Australia was a major breakthrough in Indian Cricket. Australia were three time consecutive World Champions. Australia set up a target of 261 with the help of Ricky Ponting’s 104. Yuvraj held the Indian innings when it was on the verge of falling apart. India lost Kohli, Gambhir and Dhoni in a span of 10 overs. And then Yuvraj had a 73 run stand with Raina to glide India to a victory in this match. His final boundary in the covers and then the celebration is worth remembrance. He scored unbeaten 57 runs off 65 balls with the help of 8 fours. He also took 2 wickets while bowling. Playing such a poised innings in a dry pitch, against the best of the oppositions and in a pressure situation at home ground while battling a disease on the personal level is not an easy task. Yet, Yuvraj did it and the whole tournament is a memory of his all round performance.

Sachin 200*

What a way to start the decade! Before February 2010 an individual 200 score in an ODI match seemed like a distant dream. But Sachin Tendulkar being ahead of his generation as always, realized this dream too. This was a slightly tricky wicket with South Africa having a young and fierce Dale Steyn and Kallis. The whole knock looked like a glimpse of Sachin’s hard work over these years. He scored 200 not out off the 147 deliveries he faced. He hit 25 fours and 3 sixes. He remained on the crease for full 50 overs. India scored 401/3 and won the match by 153 runs. Sachin was full of patience, determination and fierceness throughout the innings. This was the first individual 200 in Men’s ODI. This innings changed the perception of people towards ODIs. Teams started playing a more aggressive version of the game in this format. 

Kevin O’Brien (113 runs off 63 balls in 2011 World cup)

Ireland was playing the world cup for the second time in 2011. They faced England in a group stage match in which England posted a mammoth total of 327 in the scoreboard. In response Ireland’s innings fumbled with a score of 106/4 after 23 overs. At this moment, Kevin O’Brien came on the crease and what happened next remains history. Kevin O’Brien broke the record for fastest century in a world cup match which holds till date. He completed his century in 50 balls. He single handedly destroyed the English bowling lineup consisting of James Anderson, Stuart Broad and Gream Swann. He scored 113 runs of 63 balls to help Ireland win this match by 3 wickets and 5 balls remaining. This innings gave a major boost to motivate the players of the associate nations. This is one of those innings that awestruck the whole cricketing world.

NETAJI SUBHAS NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF SPORTS, PATIALA

Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports is also known as the National Institute of Sports (NIS). It is the academic wing of the Sports Authority of India (SAI) and one of Asia’s largest sports institutes.
It was established in 1961. It is affiliated to the Punjabi University. It is located in Patiala, Punjab. This institution offers various degrees like M.Sc. (sports coaching), Postgraduate diploma in sports medicine, Diploma in sports coaching, Certificate courses in sports coaching, Skill Development Programme in Sports. Moreover it has a Sports museum, and provides high class infrastructure for sports and top level faculty. It’s official website is https://nsnis.org/

LAKSHMIBAI NATIONAL COLLEGE OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM

Lakshmibai National College of Physical Education (LNCPE) is a part of the academic wing of Sports Authority of India. This college offers undergraduate and postgraduate research courses to encourage higher studies in the field of sports.
It was established in the year 1985. It is affiliated to the University of Kerala. It is located in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. This institution offers various degrees like B.P.Ed., Master of Physical Education, Master of Philosophy, P.G. Diploma in Health and Fitness. Moreover it provides facilities in its campus like fields, training halls, Swimming pool, Cycle velodrome, hostels, administrative building and staff quarters. It’s official website is https://www.lncpe.gov.in

LAKSHMIBAI NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION, GWALIOR

The Lakshmibai National Institute of Physical Education (LNIPE), under the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports Government of India, is a deemed to be university. It was established in 1957. It is affiliated to the LNIPE. It is located in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh. This institution offers various degrees like Bachelor of Physical Education (B.P.Ed.), Master of Arts in Yoga, Master of Physical Education (M.P.Ed.), P.G. Diploma, Ph.D. in Physical Education, Masters of Science (M.Sc.), Master of Arts in Sports and Exercise, Psychology. Moreover its campus consists of Academic Block, Laboratories, Research Block, Auditorium & Administrative Block, a state of the art Library Building, seven Boys Hostels & four Girls Hostels, Health Centre, an Indoor Swimming Pool, an open Olympic size Swimming Pool, Indoor Cricket Pitch, two Indoor Gymnasium Complexes, Judo Hall, Table Tennis Hall. It’s official website is www.lnipe.edu.in

INDIRA GANDHI INSTITUTE OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND SPORTS SCIENCES, NEW DELHI

Indira Gandhi Institute of Physical Education and Sports Sciences (IGIPESS) is one of the top institutes that has the department of Physical Education & Sports Sciences. It was established in the year 1987. It is affiliated to the Delhi University. It is located in New Delhi. This institution offers various degrees like Bachelor of Science in Physical Education, Health, Education & Sports (B.Sc., P.E., H.E & S), Bachelor of Physical Education ( B.P.Ed.), Master of Physical Education (M.P.Ed), Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Physical Education. Moreover it offers certificate courses in Holistic Personality Development, Yoga Education, Athletics. It’s official website is https://igipess.du.ac.in/

TAMIL NADU PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND SPORTS UNIVERSITY, CHENNAI

Tamil Nadu Physical Education and Sports University (TNPESU) is a recognized sports university in India. It was established in 2005. It is affiliated to the YMCA College of Physical Education. It is located in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. This institution offers various degrees like Bachelor of Physical Education (B.P.Ed), Bachelor of Science (Exercise Physiology), Master of Physical Education (M.P.Ed), MBA in sports management, Master of Technology in Sports Technology, PG Diploma in Sports Coaching. Moreover it provides many facilities in its campus like fields, training halls, Swimming pool, hostels, administrative block etc. It’s official website is www.tnpesu.org/

GURU GOBIND SINGH SPORTS COLLEGE, LUCKNOW

Guru Gobind Singh Sports College is a residential sports college for emerging sports persons established by the UP Government. It also offers education to 6th-12th standard students with the curriculum of UP board. It was established in 1975. It is affiliated to the UP board. It is located in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. This institution offers various scientific and technical trainings in Athletics, Cricket, Football, Hockey, Volleyball, Badminton. Moreover it provides many facilities in its campus like a synthetic running track, Natural turf wicket/cemented wicket for Cricket having metal cage, natural grass ground for Football, synthetic courts for Tennis, a multi-purpose hall for recreation of students, swimming pool. It’s official website is https://sportscollegelko.in/

COLLEGE OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION, PUNE

College of Physical Education is a part of Bharti Vidyapeeth Deemed University. It was established in 1994. It is affiliated to the Bharti Vidyapeeth Deemed University. It is located in Pune, Maharashtra. This institution offers various degrees like Bachelor of Physical Education (B.P.Ed.), Master of Physical Education (M.P.Ed.), Master of Philosophy in Physical Education (MPhil), Ph.D. in Physical Education. It’s official website is
https://copepune.bharatividyapeeth.edu/

1.Football

Also known as ‘Soccer’, this sport is immensely popular around the world, especially in Europe, Africa, Asia, America. The most prestigious tournament in football, the FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association) World Cup was watched by a record number of 3 billion fans in 2018. Major football tournaments like UEFA Champions League, English Premier League, Bundesliga, La Liga are widely followed on various social media platforms. Female football is also celebrated in multiple countries. Top brands such as Coca Cola, Qatar Airways, Pepsi, Nike, Puma and Adidas have signed multi-million dollar deals with FIFA and top football clubs and national teams. Football players are often regarded as one of the highest-paid athletes in the world.

2. Tennis    

Tennis is an extremely popular global sport. It is played in different versions namely Singles, Doubles and Mixed Doubles both in the Men’s and Women’s categories. Europe, America, and Asia are the regions in which most of the players and fans reside. Roger Federer, Serena Williams, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic are some present greats of the sport who also feature in both the top paid and most popular sports persons around the world.

3. Basketball

Basketball is widely followed by about 2 billion fans globally. Fédération Internationale de Basketball ( originally known as Fédération Internationale de Basketball Amateur, hence FIBA) is the governing body. National Basketball Association (NBA) is the most popular professional basketball league in the world. Famous players like Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Lebron James have added to the popularity of the sport. 

4. Cricket    

Another popular sport with substantial global reach, it is followed by about 2.5 billion fans, majorly from countries such as Australia, South Africa, Pakistan, New Zealand, United Kingdom and India. International Cricket Council in the governing body. About 2.6 billion people watched the 2019 Cricket World Cup. The popularity of Women’s Cricket is also on the rise. Brand endorsements from companies like Nike, Puma have been the source of the majority of the money that the teams and players receive. 

5. Motorsport

Motorsport is a term used to describe the group of competitive sporting events which involve the use of motorised vehicles. Highest governing bodies are FIA (four- or more wheeled), FIM (two-wheeled), UIM (powerboats), FAI (Air racing). Formula One and MotoGP are the most popular championships. Michael Schumacher, Lewis Hamilton are some of the famous drivers.

6. Baseball

Baseball, particularly the Major League Baseball (MLB) has about 500 million fans globally. The leagues and teams of this sport are sponsored by top brands such as Mastercard, Chevrolet. Mookie Betts, Babe Ruth, Mike Trout are some of the famous players of the game. Highest paid baseball players can receive about $38 million yearly.

7. Athletics

It combines many individual sports like Long Jump, High Jump, Javelin Throw, Hammer Throw, Races. Usain Bolt is considered as the fastest man on the earth. Many people play athletics because of the different health benefits. Athletics is popular at the school/college/university level. The Army men also like to play Athletics.

8. Boxing

It is the most popular combat sport prevailing in the world. It is played in two forms- Amateur and Professional. It provides various benefits like Fat burning, Increased muscle tone, Strong bones and ligaments, Increased cardiovascular fitness, Muscular endurance. Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson, Floyd Mayweather are some of the greatest boxers of all times.

9. Hockey

Hockey is played in two forms- Ice hockey and Field Hockey. It is mostly famous in Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia. Globally, about 2 billion people follow hockey. Brands such as Gatorade, Reebok willingly sign sponsorship deals with different Men’s and Women’s hockey teams around the world. The highest-paid players receive about $16 million in salary annually.

10. Golf      

Golf has an estimated world following of 450 Million people, and its main influence is in Western Europe, East Asia, and North America. It is played by use of different clubs to hit a ball, over a determined course, using the fewest possible amount of strokes. Tiger Woods is the most popular as well as the highest paid player.

Sports being such celebrated around the world, so not only the youth, but all the age categories should be encouraged to play sports. People should play in the full spirit of the game, and live it to the fullest. The culture of sports should be preserved, as it acts as a binding force between different nations of the world.

Pre-Requisites

•Determination and Perseverance

These are actually the most important traits in any field. The success is kind of directly proportional to the determination shown towards respective fields. Same goes with sports. The reason determination’s value being so high in sports is the uncertain nature of the industry. One may perform well in one season but fail to do the same in another. This is known as inconsistency of performance, and in turn becomes the reason for the delay in attaining success. And thus, determination and perseverance become utmost important to start a career in sports.

•Passion

This is the driving force which propels one to start a career in sports and henceforth sustain in it. Passion for the game transforms one’s success curve into an exponential one. As an example, all the successful sports persons are very passionate about their work and it is evident from their body language itself. 

Decisions to be taken before joining

•Role

This is the foremost question one should ask oneself before joining the industry. What role does he/she would like to see him/her performing in this very appealing industry? The answer to this question actually resolves much of the doubts, as after the role is decided, it becomes easy to think about what skill sets to develop and the courses to take. This is like a junction where many roads meet, each one taking you to different destinations. In the context of sports you may understand ‘role’ as, whether you want to become a player, coach/referee, manager, dietician, sports nutritionist, sports journalist, sports administrator, physiotherapist, psychiatrist, fitness trainer etc.

•Academics

Though this is not a necessary criteria for specifically becoming a player, it is definitely a compulsion if you want to pursue your career in the form of coach, psychiatrist, psychologist, sports teacher. Moreover, it is highly recommended to attain a bachelor’s degree in Physical Education even if you want to become a player. 

There are different courses available at undergraduate and postgraduate level according to  area of interest (read our article on sports courses after 12th). So, after you have decided what role or profession you want to pursue in the sports industry, enroll in a course synchronized with your interests and passions.

•Skill Set

This quality helps you in rising up at high levels in your field. In the era of competition, what matters the most is what unique thing do you bring with your personality to an employer. Having a good skill set will let you last for a very long time in your work. Whether you want to become a player, coach, manager, administrator, the common thing to succeed is how well skilled you are in your field. So, along with pursuing the course you have taken, if any, you should side-by-side work upon furnishing your technical, social, emotional and managerial skills that would help you in the long run.

•Basic knowledge of the Sport

At times people misinterpret things as ‘If  I want to become a manager, why do I need to know about the game’ or of what importance is the knowledge of game to a dietician or psychiatrist. This is completely a wrong perception. If you don’t know the basics of the sport you are working in, there’s no way you can do good for the team or player.

Having acquired all the knowledge related to how to start and work towards betterment in a sports industry, now what remains is making up your mind. When one makes up his mind to do a particular thing, all other important things like determination, perseverance, and patience follow subsequently. The crux of all the aforementioned points is, find your area of interest in sports, make up your mind to work in it sacrosanctly, then take up a course/degree according to your interest, buildup a great skill set and develop social and communication skill. During all these processes, be really determined and patient. This is all you need to start a career in the sports industry and excel in it.

Let us have a glance at the most popular Indian Athletes in recent times (2020).

1.Virat Kohli

An ace cricketer and captain of Indian cricket team in all 3 formats , known for his dedication and utmost passion towards his game. In a span of 12 year long international career, he has already broken many records and has specialization in chasing targets. His popularity can be determined by the variety of brands that he endorses, like American Tourister, Audi, Boost, Gillette, MRF, Manyavar, Puma etc. Apart from cricket, he also owns a franchise named FC Goa in Indian Super League (ISL) and is also active on social media.

2. Rohit Sharma

He has been the opening batsman for the Indian cricket team in all 3 formats since 7 years. He is also the vice – captain of Indian team in ODI. His fanbase includes a large number of supporters of IPL team Mumbai Indians as he is the captain of the team. His popularity is well known in the public sphere because of his brand endorsements.

3. MS Dhoni

He is undoubtedly the biggest sensation in modern Indian sports. He had successfully captained the Indian Cricket team for several years. The team won the T-20 World cup(2007), ODI World cup(2011) and Champions Trophy (2017). Dhoni has almost all cricketing trophies under his belt as a captain. 

4. Neeraj Chopra

He is an Indian javelin throw (track and field) athlete. He represented India at the 2018 Asian Games where he won a gold medal, setting the national record of 88.06 m, and at the 2018 Commonwealth Games where he also clinched the gold medal. Athletes like him have become popular among people, especially aspiring athletes, by excelling in javelin throw at a small age of 22. He has been nominated for Arjuna Award 2020

5.Hima Das

Nicknamed as Dhing express, she is a top level Indian sprinter. She holds the current Indian national record in 400 metres (with a timing of 50.79 seconds) that she clocked at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia. She has received Arjuna Award 2019. She came to limelight in 2018 when she became the first Indian athlete to win a gold medal in a track event at the IAAF World U20 Championships. Talking about association with brands, she has signed endorsements with Gatorade and Adidas.

6.PV Sindhu

She is the top Indian female shuttler, currently ranked 6th in the world. She has also been ranked world no. 2 in April 2017. She has brought many laurels to the country – Silver in 2016 Olympics, Gold in 2019 World Championship, Gold in 2018 Commonwealth games. She has endorsement deals with JBL, Bridgestone Tyres, sports drink Gatorade, pain reliever ointment Moov, online fashion store Myntra, e-commerce portal Flipkart. Her popularity is due to the fact that many Indian girls were motivated to play badminton taking inspiration from her.

7. Harmanpreet kaur

She is an Indian cricketer, who plays as an all-rounder for the team. She is a recipient of Arjuna Award in 2017. She has been an inspiration to a lot of aspiring women cricketers in India. s

She is the first woman cricketer for India to score a century in a Women’s Twenty20 International match. She also plays in the Big Bash league.

8. Sunil chetri

He is the captain of the Indian football team, and plays as a striker/winger for the team. He has scored the second highest number of goals in international matches among active male players after Cristiano Ronaldo. He is both the most-capped player and all-time top goalscorer for the Indian national team, with 72 goals in 115 matches. He has a strong fanbase which increased drastically when he urged Indians to come see matches so that the level of football in India can increase.

9. Sania Mirza

The best Indian Women’s tennis player, a former world no. 1 in the Women’s doubles category. She has won 6 grand slam titles in her career and has established herself as one of the highest paid and high- profile athletes in the country. She has also done social work and was announced as the UN Women Goodwill ambassador for South Asia. She was also announced as brand ambassador of Telangana in 2014.

10. Geeta Phogat

Known as ‘Dangal girl’ (a film named Dangal was made on her family’s life), she had won India’s first ever gold medal in wrestling at the Commonwealth Games in 2010. She is very popular among people as she has done TV shows like Khatron Ke Khiladi. She has been a very huge source of inspiration, as she excelled in a sport like wrestling coming from Haryana.

11. Manpreet singh

He is the captain of Indian National Hockey team since 2017. He has been a part of the team that won Gold at Asian Games 2014 and Gold at Asia cup 2017. He was a recipient of Arjuna Award in 2018 because of the services he delivered for the team.  

The awards and recognition received by these Indian athletes shows the love and support that they get from the country. All their success motivates and inspires young talents to work hard and play with full will for the country.

Sports have always been considered as a part-time activity. People accept it as a passion or hobby, but not as a full-time career. But, perceptions are changing rapidly in this matter. The spread of awareness regarding this career has motivated many people to take sports disciplines as a career. This has caused the emergence of many sports management firms and substantially increased job prospects in this field.

Before discussing the different career options in sports, let’s have a look at some prerequisites

Basic needs to opt Sports as a career

1. Determination

This is the utmost required trait a person should possess before going into sports. Many times, to achieve success in sports, there come delays. What you need to have a sheer will, patience, and confidence upon your skills to sustain in this field.

2. Basic knowledge of Sports

This is also of prime importance, as if you don’t know what you are actually working for, there is no possible way you can succeed in it. Having the basic knowledge of technical and social skills about the particular sport which you are opting for is considered to be good.

Career options in Sports

1. Sportsperson

This is undoubtedly the most decorated career option in sports. Every Sportsperson receives a handsome salary and incentives. Becoming one doesn’t require academic experience, but is advised to have some. Top-level sports persons also endorsed different brands which increase their pay scale exponentially. But remember, this is a highly competitive field, so you need to do all the hard work in the sports world along with your top-notch skills.

2. Umpires/Referee

An umpire or the referee is the one who regulates and executes the rules of the game while the match is being played. This position is mostly acquired by the retired players but this doesn’t necessarily imply. What is important in this field is your proper education in the sporting field with prior experience. Degrees like Bachelor of Physical Education (B.P.Ed) and Master of Physical Education (M.P.Ed) play role in this. This is a good career option if you consider payscale and respect.

3. Coaches and Team Managers

Coaches are the backbone of any team or player. They impart the technical, physical, and psychological skills to players required to play the game smoothly. They are the real Masterminds behind the game being played. A lot of experience is required to become a coach/ manager. The Team Manager also plans the schedule of the team along with the arrangements of travel, food, and lodging. People with tough mental strength are recommended for this post as the coach/manager has to bear a lot of pressure.

4. Sports Journalist

This is also a good career option considering the media limelight and money you will receive. Sports journalists interview the sportspersons/ coaches/managers and acquire the information about players, their practice methods, game techniques, mental and physical state. People with a common interest in sports and journalism are recommended for this job.

5. Dietician / Physiotherapist

They play an extremely important role in enhancing the performance of players. The dietician prepares a proper diet for the players having a balanced amount of carbs, proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals. They prepare diet charts for the pre, during, and the post-playing times.

You might have seen a player groaning in pain during playing. Here is when the Physiotherapist comes into play. The Physiotherapist relieves the player from the hamstring pull or ankle sprain like injuries. Moreover, they make them do proper workouts and warm-ups before and after the match to prevent sports injuries which can be extremely dangerous for a player’s career. To opt for any of the above careers, the person needs prior knowledge of medicine and must possess the apt degree for the same.

6. Sports Administration

By doing law and management/administration courses, you can pursue your career in sports administration. The sports administrator works on the official board which in turn decides the policies regarding the sports. Sports administrator has to make decisions regarding the appointment of coaches/ managers/physiotherapists for the team, scheduling of the team tours and set up camps for the betterment of players.

All in all, taking up sports as a career option seems like a good deal, provided your intent and will power should be rock solid even if you don’t receive success in a short span of time. This field is definitely like a rough sea, which can be sailed through only by a skilled sailor. If you want to excel over here, you really need to buckle up and work hard from the very beginning. And the result of the hard work always lay into sweet fruit.

Such kind of a summer camp is running by FitoKids Hisar branch with an aim to provide a child an opportunity at varied sporting activities.” The best thing about the summer camp is that the activity that children get to learn in school from class 7^th or 8^th, but here they can learn from the tender age of 3. This helps not only a child to develop and excel at different sports but also enhance their innate abilities” said the trainer.

The fitokids coach informed that “children are learning and enjoying at a sports summer camp with different sports and activities like Hula-hoop, tug of war, Rugby, Athletics and many more.