State to set up second sports university in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar

The upcoming institution will be known as the ‘Sports University, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Maharashtra.’ Its primary objective is to focus on developing a skilled workforce for the sports industry, extending beyond the traditional role of athletic development

Mumbai: To bolster sports education and training in the state, Maharashtra is set to establish its second dedicated sports university in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (formerly known as Aurangabad), following the first one that commenced operations in Pune’s Balewadi last year.

HT Image

The state government has constituted a nine-member expert committee to formulate an Act to govern the university and plan the variety of courses to be offered, as well as the requisite infrastructure.

The upcoming institution will be known as the ‘Sports University, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Maharashtra.’ Its primary objective is to focus on developing a skilled workforce for the sports industry, extending beyond the traditional role of athletic development. While it will offer a range of multidisciplinary courses in niche sports-related areas, such as nutritionists, trainers, coaches, managers, commentators, and journalists, the university will also provide tailor-made academic courses to cater to regular academic pursuits.

Dr Manikrao Salunkhe, former vice chancellor of Shivaji University, Kolhapur, leads the committee, which includes diverse academicians and Anjali Bhagwat as a sports expert. Dr Salunkhe outlined the committee’s initial priorities, saying, “The first point of focus for the committee will be to draft the legal framework, the Act, that will govern the university. While there is an existing Act after the establishment of the first sports university in Pune’s Balewadi, certain modifications will be necessary,” Salunkhe said. “One fundamental difference between the two universities is that Balewadi already had an established infrastructure. However, for the new university, the groundwork begins with the creation of infrastructure.”

The committee has been granted a three-month timeline to formulate the comprehensive plan, including the design of the courses. Dr Salunkhe emphasised that with the implementation of

the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, there is greater flexibility in the academic sector.

“Accordingly, the sports university will offer interdisciplinary courses. While the primary emphasis is to provide courses not already offered in Pune, the new sports university will introduce programs covering all sports-related sectors. The growing interest in this field with various sports gaining popularity, both nationally and internationally, has underscored the need for trained professionals in the sports ecosystem,” said Salunkhe.