PLAY FORWARD 2026: From a Billion Dreams to Global Glory – India and Germany Shape a Sporting Vision

PLAY FORWARD 2026 The IndoGerman Sports amp Business Conclave brought together distinguished leaders from sports business technology education and academia at the German Football Association DFB Campus in Frankfurt on October 30 2026 Presented by Bosch and organised in collaboration with the German Football Association DFB and other stakeholders the conclave focused on strengthening IndiaGermany cooperation and translating Indias ambition of becoming a global sporting powerhouse into an actionable roadmap for 2036The conclave explored opportunities across sports infrastructure grassroots talent identification sports education highperformance training parasports sports technology broadcasting investment and international collaboration It aimed to build stronger institutional and commercial partnerships between India and Germany while contributing to Indias longterm sporting ambitions and Olympic Vision 2036The discussions emphasised the need to move beyond dialogue towards a sustainable commercially viable and globally competitive sporting ecosystem connecting grassroots participation with international sporting excellenceIndiaGermany Cooperation Building a Sporting Future TogetherThe conclave opened a platform for exploring the complementary strengths of India and Germany in sports development Discussions highlighted how Indias sporting heritage demographic potential and growing sports economy could benefit from Germanys established sporting institutions scientific expertise infrastructure and professional systemsDr Prafulla KetkarEditor Organizer shared perspectives on Indias Vedic sporting ecosystem and the role of sports in society and nationbuilding The discussions explored the potential of connecting Indias traditional sporting philosophy with Germanys structured sporting culture to create a stronger foundation for future cooperationAddress by Indias Consul General in Munich Highlights Sporting OpportunitiesMr Satrughna Sinha Consul General of India at the Consulate General of India in Munich addressed the conclave and highlighted Indias vision for sports development the opportunities emerging across the countrys sporting ecosystem and the importance of strengthening IndoGerman cooperation He emphasised the potential for India and Germany to deepen their partnership through knowledgesharing institutional collaboration technology sports infrastructure and business engagement His address underlined the significance of international partnerships in advancing Indias sporting ambitions and creating new opportunities for cooperation between the two countriesMr Mulrajsinh Chudasama General Secretary of the Gujarat State Football Association also shared his perspectives on sports development and opportunities for collaborationProfessor Jan Mayer Sports Scientist and Innovator and Padma Shri Prof Bimal Kumar Roy former Chairman of the National Statistical Commission highlighted the importance of digital innovation evidencebased decisionmaking and structured pathways for identifying and nurturing sporting talentKaushik Moulik PLAY FORWARD Is the Beginning of a Larger MissionReflecting on the vision behind the initiative Kaushik Moulik Founder of PLAY FORWARD described the conclave as the beginning of a larger mission to bring India and Germany together around a shared sporting visionldquoPLAY FORWARD was never just another event for me it was a personal dream to bring India and Germany together around a shared vision for the future of sports With the blessings of the Almighty and the encouragement of our speakers partners colleagues friends and wellwishers across both countries we were able to turn that dream into a collective endeavour at the DFB Campus in FrankfurtInspired by the sporting vision of our Honrsquoble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji we hope to contribute meaningfully to Indiarsquos Olympic Vision 2036 The conclave has reaffirmed my belief that a vision becomes meaningful when people come together to turn it into actionI am deeply grateful to the German Football Association DFB Bosch our distinguished speakers and every individual who supported this journey The successful conclave is not the destination but the beginning of a larger mission to translate this vision into a roadmap the roadmap into action and action into Indiarsquos sporting glory From a billion dreams to global sporting excellence PLAY FORWARD is committed to helping shape Indiarsquos sporting future through 2036rdquoIndias Olympic Vision 2036 From Grassroots to Global ExcellenceA key focus of the conclave was Indias ambition to strengthen its sporting ecosystem in the leadup to 2036 Discussions examined the importance of integrating sports education curriculumbased learning grassroots talent identification scientific training and highperformance developmentThe session featured Dr hc Ann Kathrin Linsenhoff Professor Jan Mayer Ms Mirjam Eisele and Dr Parthasarathi Bhattacharya with Mr Dominik Hoffmann as moderatorThe speakers explored how international expertise institutional partnerships and structured development pathways could help identify promising athletes at an early age and support their progression towards elite competitionThe discussions also highlighted the importance of connecting grassroots participation with professional training systems strengthening sports education and creating opportunities for young athletes across IndiaSports Technology and AI Transforming Talent IdentificationTechnology and innovation emerged as important pillars of the future sporting ecosystem The discussions explored how artificial intelligence data analytics digital platforms and sports science could transform talent identification athlete monitoring performance evaluation and training methodologiesMr Vikresh Gyanani CEO of Evoco and a technology leader at Bosch Global shared perspectives on the role of emerging technologies in developing a more intelligent and datadriven sporting ecosystemThe session highlighted the potential of technology to improve decisionmaking support coaches and institutions and create more transparent and scientific pathways for discovering and developing sporting talentSports Broadcasting Expanding Indias Sporting AudienceThe conclave also examined the evolving landscape of sports broadcasting and the opportunities to expand the reach of Indian and international sporting competitionsModerated by Mr Philipp Baumlchstaumldt TV presenter media trainer and former German cricket international the session featured Mr Abhishek Dubey National Advisor Prasar Bharati Sports Mr Kay Dammholz Director of Media Rights at DFB Mr Dominik and Mr Vikresh GyananiDiscussions covered media rights digital distribution multilingual content artificial intelligence social media and new broadcasting technologies The speakers explored how innovation could make sporting content more accessible to diverse audiences and create new opportunities for broadcasters sports organisations and commercial partnersThe discussions also highlighted the potential of multilingual content and AIpowered solutions in expanding the international visibility of Indian sportsIndoGerman Cricket Saga Connecting Two Sporting EcosystemsCricket provided another important dimension to the IndoGerman sporting conversation The session explored the development of cricket in Germany the contribution of the Indian diaspora and opportunities to strengthen sporting connections between the two countriesModerated by Mr Philipp Baumlchstaumldt the discussion featured former Indian cricketers Chetan Sharma and Robin Singh along with Mr Abhishek DubeyThe speakers reflected on Indias experience in cricket development and the growing potential of the sport in Germany The discussion highlighted how cricket could serve as another bridge between the two sporting ecosystems supported by institutional cooperation knowledgesharing and community participationParaSports Building a More Inclusive Sporting EcosystemInclusion and equal opportunities formed an important part of the conclaves discussions Dr Deepa Malik shared her journey and perspectives on Indias progress in parasports highlighting the importance of institutional support accessible facilities structured training and greater recognition for paraathletesThe discussion underlined the need to make inclusivity an integral part of sports planning and infrastructure development It also recognised the role of government initiatives and institutional support in strengthening Indias parasports ecosystem and creating opportunities for athletes with disabilitiesSports Business Investment and International PartnershipsThe conclave also examined the commercial potential of Indias sporting ecosystem and opportunities for international investment and business collaboration Dr Dirk Rogowski Mr Marc Rautenberg Mr Philipp Baumlchstaumldt and Mr Dietmar Beiersdorfer participated in the discussions and shared their perspectives on the evolving global sports business landscape investment opportunities international partnerships and the commercial development of the sports industryTheir insights highlighted the importance of strengthening IndoGerman business networks encouraging crossborder investments and developing sustainable commercial models to unlock Indias potential as a major global sports business destinationDiscussions covered sports infrastructure financing investment frameworks international partnerships and opportunities across the sports value chain Sessions on sports education womens empowerment Indias football ecosystem and the potential of an IndiaEU Free Trade Agreement in sports and business broadened the scope of the discussionsThe EU FTA in Sports amp Business session featured Dr Milan Kumar Mr Carl Monteiro Mr Sachin Verma and Advocate Himanshu ChaturvediThe discussions underlined the importance of creating favourable conditions for sportsrelated investment professional development crossborder partnerships and the expansion of Indias sports business sectorDiverse Perspectives Across Football Chess and Sports EducationThe conclave brought together perspectives from different sporting disciplines and educational institutions reflecting the broad scope of Indias sporting ambitionsChess Grandmaster Dibyendu Barua contributed to discussions on the development of chess and its place within Indias wider sporting landscape Football discussions also explored the importance of international cooperation institutional partnerships and professional development with insights from Mr Dietmar Beiersdorfer and other participantsSports education emerged as another important area of focus The discussions featured Mr Gurmeet Singh CEO and Executive Director of the Electronics and Computer Software Export Promotion Council Padma Shri Bimal Kumar Roy and Professor Guru Prakash PaswanThe conclave also brought together perspectives on womens empowerment Participants included Dr hc Ann Kathrin Linsenhoff Ms Mirjam Eisele Ms Chitra ViswanathThese discussions reinforced the importance of connecting sports with education entrepreneurship gender inclusion and international cooperationIndia Germany Football and Beyond Shaping the Future of Indian FootballOne of the key sessions at PLAY FORWARD 2026 titled ldquoIndia Germany Football and Beyondrdquo brought together prominent football leaders and international sporting experts to discuss the future of Indian football and explore opportunities for deeper cooperation between the two countriesThe session featured Mr Kaushik Moulik Football Philosopher Mr Dietmar Beiersdorfer former German national football player Ms Julia Farr Head of International at Borussia Dortmund Mr Fabian Veit Head of International at TSG Hoffenheim and Mr Navas Meeran The speakers shared their vision and perspectives on the development of Indian football outlining potential pathways and a forwardlooking roadmap to strengthen the countrys football ecosystemThe discussions focused on the importance of grassroots development structured talent identification professional football pathways international knowledgesharing institutional partnerships and the adoption of proven European football development models The speakers also explored how collaboration between Indian football stakeholders and leading German football institutions could create new opportunities for young players coaches clubs and administratorsThe session underlined the need for a longterm scientifically structured and globally connected approach to Indian football linking grassroots participation with professional development and international competitiveness It reinforced the importance of sustained IndoGerman cooperation in building a stronger more sustainable and futureready football ecosystem in IndiaYoga Music and Sports Celebrating the Spirit of UnityA special segment on Yoga Music and Sports explored the connections between Indias cultural heritage and the universal values shared by sporting communitiesThe segment featured Padma Shri Pandit Tarun Bhattacharya Mr Dominik Hoffmann and Mr Sriram Palukuru Discussions reflected on how yoga music and sports share common principles of discipline concentration dedication and the pursuit of excellenceThe speakers also explored the contribution of these disciplines to physical and mental wellbeing and their ability to bring people and cultures together The segment highlighted the role of Indias cultural heritage in strengthening international understanding and peopletopeople connections between India and GermanyMusic for Unity Celebrating 75 Years of IndoGerman DiplomacyA special musical presentation added a cultural dimension to PLAY FORWARD 2026 celebrating 75 years of IndoGerman diplomatic relationsPadma Shri Pandit Tarun Bhattacharya mesmerised the audience with his exceptional musical mastery on the Santoor a traditional Indian classical instrument His performance celebrated Indias rich musical heritage and demonstrated the universal language of music in connecting people cultures and nationsThe presentation served as a tribute to the longstanding friendship between India and Germany highlighting the values of cultural exchange mutual respect and international understandingThrough this special musical moment the conclave underscored that sports and culture together can create meaningful connections beyond borders and strengthen the bonds between nationsMohan Jonnalagadda Delivers Vote of ThanksThe conclave concluded with a vote of thanks delivered by Mr Mohan Jonnalagadda Convenor of PLAY FORWARD 2026He expressed his gratitude to the German Football Association DFB presenting partner Bosch distinguished speakers delegates institutional partners and stakeholders from India and Germany for their valuable contributions and supportHe acknowledged the collective efforts of everyone involved in bringing the initiative to fruition and highlighted the importance of continued cooperation in translating the shared vision into meaningful outcomes for Indias sporting futurePLAY FORWARD Whitepaper 20262036 Translating Vision into ActionOne of the important objectives emerging from the conclave is to translate the discussions and recommendations into a structured roadmap for Indias sporting development through 2036The proposed PLAY FORWARD Whitepaper 20262036 is envisioned as a strategic framework to identify priorities encourage institutional partnerships and support longterm cooperation between India and GermanyThe proposed areas of focus include India Sports Infrastructure Investment Blueprint Identifying opportunities for developing modern sports infrastructure and encouraging investment Business and Investment Framework for Sports Strengthening commercial partnerships and creating opportunities across the sports value chain IndoGerman Strategic Memorandums of Understanding Encouraging institutional cooperation knowledgesharing and longterm partnerships AIDriven Sports Ecosystem Roadmap Exploring the application of artificial intelligence data analytics and sports science in talent identification and athlete development GrassrootstoGlobal Talent Pathways Strengthening sports education grassroots participation and highperformance development Inclusive Sporting Development Promoting parasports womens participation and wider access to sporting opportunitiesThe roadmap aims to bring together government institutions sports federations businesses technology companies educational institutions and international partners to support Indias sporting ambitionsA New Chapter in IndiaGermany Sports CooperationPLAY FORWARD 2026 marked an important step towards strengthening IndiaGermany cooperation in sports and sports business By bringing together stakeholders from diverse sectors the conclave created a platform to explore practical partnerships exchange expertise and identify opportunities for longterm collaborationThe discussions reinforced the importance of building a futureready sporting ecosystem based on scientific talent development modern infrastructure technology education inclusion and sustainable investmentAs India advances towards its Olympic Vision 2036 international partnerships and knowledgesharing will play an important role in developing a globally competitive sporting environmentWith its proposed roadmap for 20262036 PLAY FORWARD aims to carry the momentum of the Frankfurt conclave into sustained action and cooperationFrom a billion dreams to global sporting excellence PLAY FORWARD seeks to help shape the next chapter of Indias sporting journeyAbout PLAY FORWARDPLAY FORWARD The IndoGerman Sports amp Business Conclave is an initiative aimed at strengthening cooperation between India and Germany across sports business technology education and innovationThe platform brings together representatives from sports organisations government institutions businesses technology companies academia and the wider sporting ecosystem to encourage partnerships investment infrastructure development talent pathways and knowledgesharingWith a longterm vision extending to 2036 PLAY FORWARD seeks to contribute to Indias ambition of becoming a global sporting powerhouse and a leading destination for sports business and investment

PLAY FORWARD 2026: From a Billion Dreams to Global Glory – India and Germany Shape a Sporting Vision

Other Articles

Mid-Day Fast

Home / Buzzfeed / Article / PLAY FORWARD 2026: From a Billion Dreams to Global Glory – India and Germany Shape a Sporting Vision

PLAY FORWARD 2026: From a Billion Dreams to Global Glory – India and Germany Shape a Sporting Vision

Other Articles

Mid-Day Fast