The Sports Authority of India (SAI) is a sports organisation that is working with an objective of training the young and talented Indian Athletes. The SAI was established in the year 1984, as a registered society. The Society for National Institute of Physical Education and Sports (SNIPES) was merged with SAI on 1st May, 1987. As a result, the Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports (NSNIS), Patiala and its allied centers at Bangalore, Kolkata and Gandhinagar and the Lakshmibai National College of Physical Education at Thiruvananthapuram came under Sports Authority of India (SAI).
Aim of Sports Authority of India
The Sports Authority of India (SAI) mainly strives to promote sports and develop the level of infrastructure to upgrade the skills of Indian sports persons by operating various schemes at sub-junior, junior and senior level. SAI is working to ensure the effective and optimum utilization of various sports facilities and is concerned with sports promotion and management of various sporting events in India.
Training Centers of Sports Authority of India
SAI has six regional centers located in the major cities like Bengaluru, Gandhinagar, Kolkata, Sonepat, Delhi and Imphal. It also has two sub-centers at Guwahati and Aurangabad. It runs some prominent sports institutes like the Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports, Patiala and the Lakshmibai National College of Physical Education, Thiruvananthapuram. Apart from that, it has a High Altitude Training Centre at Shillaroo, Himachal Pradesh, as well. The Sports Authority of India (SAI) runs a total of around 23 training centers, both residential and non-residential, which are spread all over the country.
Courses Offered by Sports Authority of India
SAI runs two academic institutes to offer graduate and post graduate courses in sports medicine and sports and physical education to educate coaches and sports staffs.
Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports: This institute in Patiala offers certificate course in Sports Coaching, Diploma in Sports Coaching, Post Graduate Diploma in Sports Medicine and Masters Degree in Sports Coaching.
Lakshmibai National College of Physical Education: This institute of Thiruvananthapuram offers the courses of Bachelor of Physical Education, Master of Physical Education and Doctor of Philosophy (regular and part-time).
Sports Promotional Schemes of SAI
SAI`s primary efforts include widespread talent scouting and training of selected individuals by providing vital inputs like coaching, infrastructure, equipment support, sports kit, competitive exposure etc. With a view to achieve its objectives, SAI has chalked out necessary plans and is implementing various schemes. The main schemes of SAI include the National Sports Talent Contest, the Special Area Games, Extension Centres of STCs/SAGs, Army Boys Sports Company Scheme, SAI Training Centers Scheme, Centers of Excellence and Come and Play Scheme. Some of the schemes have been detailed below:
National Sports Talent Contest Scheme: In this scheme, the Sports Authority of India (SAI) actually caters to school going children in the age group of 8-14 years. It selects talented children in this scheme through a scientifically designed battery of tests. Once the selection procedure is over, SAI puts the selected individuals in one of its adopted schools. SAI adopts the schools on the basis of sports and residential infrastructure available there, and it considers the school`s reputation in sports performance, as well. However, SAI has recently revised the selection criterion and decided to directly induct the first three position holders at recognized sub-junior and junior national championships. SAI is training a large number of sports persons at 83 schools and 16 Akharas, under its supervision in India.
Army Boys Sports Company (ABSC) Scheme: The Sports Authority of India (SAI) is running this scheme in association with the Indian Army authorities. This scheme covers boys in the age-group of 8-14 years, selected from the Regimental Areas and Army Lines on the basis of battery of tests. The Army authorities provide the individuals with necessary facilities at the regimental centers and SAI provides sports equipment, kit, stipend and coaches. SAI is training several sportspersons at 8 ABSC`s centers, spread all over India.
Special Area Games (SAG) Scheme: SAI has designed this scheme exclusively for the sports persons in the age group of 14-21 years. SAI scouts talent from rural, tribal, coastal and other areas, under this scheme. After selecting sports persons from those areas, SAI provides them with in-house training, with boarding and lodging facilities at various SAG Centers. SAI is running 16 SAG Centers and 2 associate Centers in the country.
SAI Training Centers (STC) Scheme: This scheme of Sports Authority of India is actually forming the backbone of SAI`s objective of spotting and nurturing the talented sports persons. SAI selects sports persons in the age group of 14-21 years and inducts them in various STCs, under this scheme. The sports persons are given in-house training in the STCs. SAI also provides them with boarding and lodging facilities, along with other facilities. A total of 58 SAI Training Centers are running under the supervision of SAI in India.