Karishma Choudhury, an MBA final-year student from the Department of Business Administration at Girijananda Chowdhury University (GCU), Assam, has made a significant contribution to the discourse on sports infrastructure by presenting a research paper titled “The Sports Industrial Landscape of Assam” at a national seminar sponsored by the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR) on November 29, 2024. The seminar, themed “Development of Sports Infrastructure in Promoting Youth Sports Participation,” provided a platform for Karishma to highlight key challenges and opportunities in Assam’s sports sector. Co-authored with Md. Faruk Ahmed, Assistant Professor at GCU, the paper critically examined the state of sports infrastructure in Assam, emphasizing its role in shaping youth participation in sports. Karishma shed light on various issues, including inadequate facilities, inconsistent government policies and the lack of private sector investment, which have hindered the growth of the sports industry in the state. Through a comparative study, she analysed the infrastructure development in Assam vis-à-vis Odisha, Haryanaand Gujarat, states that have made significant strides in sports by leveraging strategic policies and public-private partnerships.
In her presentation, Karishma also showcased a compelling case study on the Brahmaputra Volleyball League (BVL), a grassroots initiative aimed at promoting volleyball among rural youth in Assam. Additionally, she discussed Assam’s participation in national events such as the Khelo India Youth Games, emphasizing that while these events have brought recognition to the state’s athletes, sustained success requires comprehensive infrastructure development and policy support. Karishma concluded her presentation by recommending the formulation of a state-specific sports policy, increased public-private collaborationsand a focus on grassroots programs to nurture talent from rural areas, which were well-received by the audience.
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