Maharashtra’s first sports varsity to start in October with 2 courses

PUNE: Maharashtra’s first sports university — International Sports University — coming up at Shiv Chhatrapati sports complex in Balewadi-Mhalunge is set to start operations in October with two courses — BBA in sports management and BSc in sports science. The intake capacity of each course will be 60 students.
However, the sports and youth affairs department is yet to appoint a vice-chancellor, faculty or other staff for the proposed university. According to the experts, the courses are likely to attract students with growing recognition for sports and sporting events in the country.
“The process of staff recruitment, which includes vice-chancellor, the registrar is underway. We will soon start the process to recruit the teaching and non-teaching staff,” Om Prakash Bakoria, commissioner of sports, said.
He said, “We have had a discussion with a hospital in Pune regarding inking a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for sports medicine course. Similarly, we have held talks with IIT Bombay and IIM Ahmedabad regarding sports management courses.”
Deepak Mane, head of the Department of Physical Education at Savitribai Phule Pune University agreed on a need for a dedicated sports university in the state. “It is not that students are not interested in sports but post-SSC or HSC there are hardly any career opportunities available in the field. The dedicated sports university will certainly bring up about a necessary change in sporting culture of the country.”