SAI Launches Sports Science Workshop to Boost Precision Sports Performance

The workshop brings together coaches, sports scientists, medical experts, and performance specialists to align traditional coaching knowledge with evidence-based practices.

A four-day Sports Science Workshop for Sports Authority of India (SAI) coaches in precision sports—archery and shooting—began on Monday at the SAI Sports Science Division, Indira Gandhi Sports Complex, marking another step in India’s push to integrate science-led methods into elite athlete preparation.

Opening the workshop, Secretary (Sports) and Director General of SAI, Shri Hari Ranjan Rao, stressed that sports science must move beyond theory and be embedded into daily training environments, especially in disciplines where marginal gains separate podium finishes from near-misses.

“The Ministry and the Government will extend full support to sports science initiatives,” Rao said. “But it is equally important that we invest wisely and apply sports science with precision to deliver results—particularly in sports where small improvements can make a decisive difference.”

Expanding Sports Science Across Disciplines

The precision sports workshop follows a series of coach sensitisation programmes launched in December last year. Similar engagements have already been conducted for hockey, boxing, wrestling, judo, athletics, and now shooting and archery, reflecting a system-wide effort to standardise high-performance support across disciplines.

Rao highlighted the broader benefits of science-driven training, noting its role in injury prevention, training efficiency, and career longevity, which ultimately lowers the financial and physical burden on athletes and their families. He added that SAI plans to expand sports science centres nationwide and strengthen athlete support within national camps and centres of excellence.

From Theory to Practice

The workshop brings together coaches, sports scientists, medical experts, and performance specialists to align traditional coaching knowledge with evidence-based practices. According to Brig. (Dr.) Bibhu Kalyan Nayak, Director-cum-Head of SAI’s Sports Science Division, the initiative reflects consistent direction from Union Sports Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya and the Ministry to ensure sports science principles are applied on the ground.

“Our vision is athlete-centric, coach-led, and backed by sports science,” Nayak said. “Focused engagements like these can directly contribute to India’s medal prospects.”

A Precision-Focused Lens

Tailored specifically for shooting and archery, the programme explores how biomechanics, stability training, and conditioning can improve postural control, consistency, and injury resilience. Coaches are being trained in movement analysis and core-stability–focused conditioning, with an emphasis on translating scientific inputs into everyday coaching routines.

The curriculum also takes a holistic approach to athlete preparation, covering physiology, recovery sciences, sports psychology, nutrition, hydration, injury prevention, yoga-based recovery, and long-term athlete health. Sessions on focus, pressure management, and emotional control address the mental demands of elite precision sports.

Advanced practical modules introduce coaches to neurofeedback, visualisation techniques, wearable technology, data tracking, and AI-based performance feedback, equipping them with modern tools for training and competition monitoring.

The sessions are being delivered by experts from across the SAI ecosystem, including specialists from IGSC New Delhi, NSSC Bengaluru, Sonipat, Kolkata, Gandhinagar, NSNIS Patiala, as well as domain experts from the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) and allied institutions.