Mr. Nilesh Kulkarni
(Founder-Director’s Message)
IISM strives to be a movement that creates young heroes with the ability & agility to unfurl new prospects in the sports sector & the business that surrounds it.
Consumer interest in Indian sports is at an all-time high, as per several studies, and has been growing at a CAGR of 9.5% in Financial Year 2023-24. Sporting leagues like ICC World Cup T20, Indian Premier League, Pro Kabbadi League, Indian Table Tennis League, ISL, Futsal etc., are the major sporting events that have opened the huge market for the sports professionals across India. These leagues take place round the year, providing entertainment to the Indian audience and opportunities to the sports professionals. It has not just aided in the overall awareness of the sports, but also increased the affinity towards it.
The consumption of sports on television has increased immensely, giving a further fillip to the development of sports in India. One must not forget that this has thus, aided in making a middle class parent receptive to the idea of their children pursuing careers in sports-a sure facilitator in the demand for sports management.
However, with growth, also comes responsibility. While, there is no doubt that the sports industry is seeing an upward surge, it's also signalling towards the need of professionals at various skill levels, Sports Managers being crucial in the same.
Its essential to provide an aspirant a comprehensive understanding of the multi-dimensional value of the sports industry because the industry needs more than just man power. It needs future ready professionals who are eager to innovate, ideate and succeed. This intriguing knowledge will help the students acquire a variety of skills for sectors like business and administration, public relation, marketing, managing media, sports celebrities and officials and prepare for entrepreneurship and so on.
With its collaborative arrangements within the Sports Industry and global sporting industry icons as its advisors and supporting pool of visiting faculty from top B-Schools among many others, IISM is an embodiment of underlying philosophy of ‘Global Mindset, Indian Roots’. The academic rigour of our curriculum is complemented by insightful guest lectures delivered by personalities with a record of outstanding accomplishments in all areas of Sports Management providing a deeper perspective to the ideas and practice of management to the students.
With an emphasis on creating Day One Business Ready Managers & future sports management leaders, IISM has undertaken a revolutionary redesign in management education through innovative academic methodology and delivery systems for students to take the fullest advantage of the exceptionally rigorous and demanding nature of the customized curriculum.
We have always pioneered in new areas, according to changing business requirements and were the first to introduce a Bachelors degree for Sports Management in India!
We are continuously looking at ways to evolve & adapt to the industry needs. We are in a phase where the need has been carved and the resources to fill into those are shaping up too and that’s exciting. We’re elated to help young aspirants blend their passion for sports with academia & build their profession out of it. It’s exciting to offer them some challenges & help them do more than just a “job”
I firmly believe that IISM will help bridge the glaring gap that divides the two currents – at one end is a vibrant, youthful population of aspirants keen to make their mark in a sunrise sector; while at the other is the robust value chain of sports management companies, advertising agencies, media buying firms and celebrity management companies. Our alliances across various forums like CII, FICCI, IMC Chamber for Commerce and Industry, etc. to facilitate discussions & recommend development strategies to government bodies & aid in the policy level decision making; or with companies like Sportz Consult & Zeven for initiating research based knowledge reports; or with international educational institutions like Victoria University to initiate research projects; or with international clubs like Liverpool FC for fan engagement and promotion activities; and many more with leading names in training, internships and placement will undoubtedly spell bright careers for our graduates in their chosen disciplines.
I believe that enabling students to develop the capability to shape their own lives should be an integral part of every education & thus the course curriculum, is tailored to strike a conscious blend of academia and industry fostering analytical approach and critical thinking along with academic excellence.
Our classroom sessions go hand in hand with real-life, real-time exposure to various sport events, practical case studies and project assignments, thus offering you an unparalleled experience of learning that enriches the rest of your lives.
This is your moment to shine, rise & set out of this journey of becoming the Jerry Maguire’s of the sporting ecosystem & represent India on the global map.
