Sporting legends like former cricketer Suresh Raina, freestyle wrestler Geeta Phogat, boxer MC Mary Kom, and President of the Paralympic Committee of India Deepa Malik will grace the event
TheTimesofIndia.com today announced the launch of its new series, “Right to Excellence,” which will celebrate the spirit of perseverance, genius, and innovation across diverse fields. The first event under this series is the Sports Summit 2023, which will be held in New Delhi on September 15.
The Sports Summit will bring together sporting legends, policymakers, and game changers to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing Indian sports, and how to promote excellence in the field. The summit will feature keynote addresses, panel discussions, and workshops, and will be open to the public.
“The Right to Excellence is a movement that celebrates the best of India,” said Prasad Sanyal, Business Head, TimesofIndia.com, “We believe that everyone has the right to pursue excellence, regardless of their background or circumstances. This series will be a platform for discussion, debate, and collaboration, and we hope to inspire individuals to take ownership of their journey to excellence.” The sports summit will be followed by a series of other events under the “Right to Excellence” banner, each focusing on a different field.
Summits like these are a step in the right direction to address lack of sports infrastructure in India. Deepa Malik, President of Paralympic India and Khel Ratna Awardee, said, “This summit will inspire diversity and inclusion, besides spreading awareness for persons with disabilities to get empowered through sports by learning about the inclusive policies involving parasports. Para athletes are now receiving great funding and support under various schemes and a lot of stakeholders are coming together to promote the paralympic movement in India.” Besides, fireside chats with sporting “gamechangers” will also explore how sports in India can reach greater heights with the right support.
Despite still being overlooked and underfunded, the number of Indian women participating in organized sports is growing. According to the Women in Sports Foundation, only about 6-7% of Indian women participate in organized sports, but the number is expected to increase significantly in the coming years. Expressing her excitement on being a part of the event, MC Mary Kom, six-time world champion, Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan Awardee, said, “India’s sporting geniuses, especially women, continue to inspire an entire generation of youngsters to pursue sports as a viable career option. A sporting summit like “Right to Excellence” provides the perfect platform where sportspersons can gather and discuss ways in which sports can be promoted among the youth and women of the country.”
“We believe that the Right to Excellence is an important conversation to have, and we are committed to creating a platform for it,” said Sanyal. “We hope that this series will inspire individuals to pursue their dreams and make a difference in the world.”
To learn more about the Right to Excellence series, please visit https://bit.ly/3qY5XEp