IISM, Padukone School of Badminton & SPEFL-SC Collaborate to Build Nationally Recognised Coach Education Pathways

The International Institute of Sports & Management (IISM), Padukone School of Badminton (PSB) and the Sports, Physical Education, Fitness and Leisure Skills Council (SPEFL-SC) came together on 8th October 2026 to empower an idea aimed at revolutionising the Badminton ecosystem.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed at the IISM campus in honour of their shared vision to design, develop and deliver structured NSQF – aligned Coach Certification Programmes.

The dignitaries from the above organisations – Mr. Nilesh Kulkarni, Founder-Director –  IISM, Ms. Rasika Kulkarni, Co-founder and Managing Director – IISM,  Mr. Prakash Padukone, Arjuna Awardee, Padma Shri and Former Badminton player, and Mr. Tahsin Zahid, CEO of SPEFL-SC formally joined hands into a much-valued collaboration

Before the official signing event, IISM’s Founder-Director, Mr. Nilesh Kulkarni felicitated and warmly welcomed Mr. Prakash Padukone and Mr. Tahsin Zahid.

Felicitation of Mr. Prakash Padukone by Mr. Nilesh Kulkarni

The Big Picture

The main objective behind this initiative is to address an important requirement within Indian sport: creating a structured pathway through which coaching knowledge and practical experience can be complemented by formal skill qualifications and academic recognition.

The collaboration was envisioned to bring together, IISM’s expertise in sports education and academic programme delivery, PSB’s years of experience in premier badminton training and SPEFL-SC’s commitment to skill development.

This alliance is an opportunity to provide programmes designed in alignment with the National Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF), relevant Sports Council requirements, provisions of the National Education Policy (NEP) and the University Credit Framework.

The Dignitaries took to the podium to signify why this strategic partnership is such an important stepping stone towards sports development in India.

Mr. Nilesh Kulkarni, Former Indian Cricketer addressing the media and crowd said:

“When people talk about the key gaps in sports, they always hint at demand and supply, ‘need’ is often undermined. Through this vehicle we are willing to address the ‘need’. The need for a standardised coaching system at the grass-root level to foster development professionally and expertly.”

Mr. Nilesh Kulkarni speaking with the audience

Adding to that Mr. Prakash Padukone, the Padma Shri and Arjuna Awardee also mentioned:

“We have a lot of talent identification and training systems in place for players and umpires but there aren’t many for coaches. With this idea, we wish to create a proper system to train coaches in a standardised manner, and to create and reach a wider.

Mr. Prakash Padukone speaking

Mr. Tahsin Zahid, CEO of SPEFL-SC, highlighted the importance of skill acquisition:

“I want sports to be considered in the main education system, not just an extracurricular activity. I want youngsters to pursue sports careers without hesitation, and taking this step is a historic moment in sports education. Bringing accreditation to coaching and training people will revolutionise the badminton system.”

Mr. Tahsin Zahid speaking

The Coach Certification Programme

Programmes will be developed across multiple coaching levels, allowing participants to progress through a structured pathway based on their qualifications, experience and professional aspirations.

Delivery will follow a blended learning model, combining online academic and theoretical modules with practical, application-based coaching education. This approach will enable the programmes to reach learners beyond traditional training centres while retaining the practical component essential to coach development.

The certification pathways are expected to cater to a diverse group of learners, including aspiring coaches, existing coaches and working professionals, current and former athletes, independent learners, and university students seeking academic credits or Open Electives under NEP.

Building a scalable coach education ecosystem

Under the collaboration, IISM, PSB and SPEFL-SC will jointly work on curriculum development, programme structure, assessment methodology, practical training and certification pathways across different levels of coaching.

MoU Signing amongst IISM – Padukone School of Badminton and SPEFL-SC

The partnership will also explore mechanisms through which eligible programmes can provide academic credits and Open Elective opportunities for university students under the NEP framework, alongside Skill Council certification for independent learners.

A key focus will be on making the programmes scalable across India, enabling learners from different regions and backgrounds to access structured coach education without necessarily having to relocate for the entire duration of a programme.

The three organisations will also jointly promote the programmes and work towards building partnerships with relevant sporting and educational institutions to expand their reach.

Through the initiative, IISM, PSB and SPEFL-SC aim to contribute towards creating a larger pool of qualified, knowledgeable and industry-ready coaches who can support India’s growing sporting ecosystem, from grassroots development to high-performance sport.