The facility will integrate sports science,
research and capacity building to help advance India’s sporting ecosystem
Mumbai: Axis Bank, one of the
largest private sector banks in India, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding
(MoU) with GoSports Foundation to launch Axis Bank-GoSports Foundation ‘The Performance
Institute’ (AGTPI), a first-of-its-kind initiative
aimed at scaling India’s sports science capabilities and advancing research and
innovation that contributes to the long term growth of Indian sports.
AGTPI shall be housed at
the state-of-the-art Centre for Sports Excellence (CSE) in Bengaluru. The
institute will focus on athlete performance, talent identification, building
India’s capacity in sports science and medicine, as well as analytics and
research focused on the Indian athlete.
As
the founding partner, Axis Bank’s CSR grants shall be directed towards the
establishment and growth of the institute, with GoSports Foundation leading its
administration, programme implementation, and strategic partnerships.
AGTPI shall be built around
three core pillars – People, Analytics, and Research.
The
People pillar will focus on developing India's sports science and
performance workforce through training programmes, fellowships, mentorship
opportunities, and professional development pathways. The initiative will help build
a stronger pool of qualified practitioners across federations, academies, and
high-performance environments.
The
Analytics pillar will establish an athlete testing and assessment
facility offering performance testing, biomechanics analysis, recovery
monitoring, injury-risk assessment, and data-driven performance planning. The
institute will also contribute to building India-specific athlete performance
databases across sports and demographics.
The
Research pillar will focus on helping generate indigenous sports science
knowledge through applied research, innovation, industry and university collaborations,
and knowledge-sharing initiatives. Its objective is to develop evidence-based
solutions that support athletes while contributing to the broader advancement
of sports science in India.
Commenting on the partnership, Vijay Mulbagal - Group Head -
Wholesale Bank Coverage, Corporate Salary, Sustainability & CSR, Axis Bank,
said, “India’s sporting ambitions are
entering a defining phase, and ensuring sustained success for Indian athletes
globally will require not only talent and training but also a strong foundation
of domestic sports science and medicine. Despite India’s rising sporting
successes, it still relies largely on foreign performance data and benchmarks
which are not entirely aligned with the needs and realities of Indian athletes. At
Axis Bank, we are proud to partner with GoSports Foundation to help build an
institution that can play a pioneering role in bringing together data,
research, analytics, and expertise, to create a robust domestic sports science
ecosystem.”
Nandan Kamath, Managing Trustee, GoSports Foundation, said, “This collaboration reflects a shared
belief that sustained sporting success is built on strong foundations. Great
athletes emerge from great systems, and those systems depend on people,
knowledge, and continuous innovation. Our goal is to build a faster, higher and
stronger future for Indian sport — together."
Saugato Banerjee, CEO, GoSports Foundation, added, “We thank Axis Bank for believing in GoSports Foundation’s
track record and future commitment to powering the Indian sports ecosystem. We
look forward to announcing initiatives under The Performance Institute that
truly unlock India’s sporting potential — from participation to podium.”
Vivek Kumar, Founder and Promoter, Centre for Sports Excellence, said, "CSE was built to give every athlete an
environment that helps them be their best. The AGTPI strengthens that
environment, adding world-class capability in sports science, testing and
research. We thank Axis Bank and GoSports Foundation for choosing to house the
institute at CSE."