The Sports Authority of India (SAI) was established in 1984 by the Government of India to develop sports infrastructure and promote sports in India. SAI aims to identify and nurture young sporting talent, spread sports awareness, and support competitive sports. It operates through various wings that focus on coaching, training of elite athletes, physical education, and research. Key schemes implemented by SAI include the National Coaching Scheme, National Sports Talent Contest, Special Area Games Scheme, and Sports Talent Search Scholarship Scheme, which work to develop grassroots talent and support athletes across the country.

1. By
DR. Pawan Kumar
MMH College Ghaziabad

2. SPORTS AUTHORITY OF INDIA
(S.A.I.)
Introduction
The sport authority of India, a natural corporate outcome of 9th
Asian held in New Delhi in 1982, was founded by the Govt of India
on 16th march, 1984 as a registered society, primarily to look after
the sports infrastructure created for the Asiad. With the
formulation of a National policy on Sports in august, 1984 , which
stressed inter alia the need for specialised scheme for identification
and nurturing of young talent and broad basing sports in the
country, the SAI received greater attention as the central agency to
accomplish the task. With the amalgamation of the society for the
National institute of Physical education and sports (SNIPES) and
the sports Authority of India on 1st May, 1987 the scope of sports
Authority of India widened to variety of areas not hitherto
conceived of and identified .

3. OBJECTIVES
The two activities of the sports Authority of India have
been sited as under :-
1. To promote major objectives for spreading sports
consciousness ;
2. To stress on competitive activities in
collaboration with the NSFs and other allied agencies.

4. ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE
The general body of the SAI society, chaired by the
prime minister of India, has 45 members comprising
union ministers, ministers in charge of sports in states
(five at a time by rotation), sports Promoters, Eminent
sports persons and experts in physical education. The
governing body of the SAI is headed by the union
minister of Human Resource Development, with the
union minister of state /deputy minister as vice-
chairman of the governing body. All members of the
society are closely connected with promotion and
administration of sports and physical education

5. WINGS OF SAI
 1. Academic wing(1):- comprising NIS and its regional
centres engaged in training of coaches and research
development in sports:
 2. Academic wing(2):- Comprising LNCPE, Trivandrum
engaged in producing physical education teachers and
research development in physical education:
 3. Operational Wing:- Guiding and controlling general
sports promotion and scouting and nurturing of young
talent; and
 4. Teams Wing:- Engaged in long term training of elite
sports persons and preparation of national teams in
specific disciplines for targeted international competition

6. While the LNCPE is run according to UGC guidelines,
the Regional Centres of the erstwhile NIS have been
restructured to ensure effective implementation of sport
development programme in different parts of the
country, These regional centres are NSCC, New Delhi:
NSSC, Bangalore; NSWC Gandhinagar ; NSNC,
Chandigarh; NSEC, Calcutta; and NSNEC, Imphal. The
NSSC, Bangalore has been developed as the centre of
Excellence in collaboration with the experts from the
Commonwealth of independent states

7. MAIN SCHEMES OF SAI
The sports Authority of India has a number of
schemes/programmes under its preview. Besides, it is
also responsible for implementation of various central
schemes. Some of the scheme/ programmes were
initiated by the SAI, others are its legacy from
NIS/Government of India.

8. National Coaching Scheme
In 1955, the Government, of India introduced the
Rajkumari Amrit Kaur sports coaching scheme as a
measure of improving the performance of the India
sportsperson. In the absence of certified coaches, the
coaching work was carried out by famous old-timers like
Maj. Dhyan Chand , A.G. Ram singh etc. A few foreign
coaches were also appointed on contract basis. Periodic
need- based coaching camps were held at various places.
Short term coaching camps for school and college
teacher were aslo conducted .

9. The objectives of the NCS
 1. To assist the states/Uts in establishing and
running of regional coaching centers (now renamed as
State Coaching Centres) and district coaching centres
of sports talent and help to nurture it
 2. To assist the NSFs/Sports Boards/Universities and
also to undertake coaching of the national , inter-
universities and other teams for international, national
and other important sports competitions
 3. To assist the state sports councils in conducting
their annual coaching camps and to prepare their state
teams for participation in national championship

10.  4. To assist the NSFs by rendering coaching service and
running clinics and organising competitions;
 5. To implement the Govt. Of India’s programme
development of rural sports by conducting tournaments/
competitions/coaching camps and providing sports talent
scholarship scheme.
 6. To requisition the services of expert coaches from abroad
for conducting seminars/dicussions, running clinics and
refreshers courses for benefit of in service coaches.
 7. To establish a data bank were all the technical information
will be collected for further dissemination to the states and to
provide feedback to the SAI research centres.

11. NATIONAL SPORTS TALENT CONTEST
competitive sport in the country
stands on a wide base of talented
young sports persons, the
National Sport Talent Contest
Scheme was introduced in 1985
with major objectives.

12.  1. To broad base sports at the grass root level and.
 2. To scout the talent among school children who
are genetically gifted and are endowed with natural
motor qualities suitable for 10 Olympic sports
disciplines, viz Athletics, Badminton, Basketball,
Gymnastics, Hockey , Swimming, Table tennis, Volley
ball, Football, and Wrestling.

13. Speacial Area Games(SAG) Scheme
The special area games scheme was conceived of by the SAI
in 1985 the objectives of tapping talents from areas which
presumably have either some genetic or geographic
advantage for excellence in a particular sports discipline more
specifically the scheme caters to scouting of natural talent
from tribal, hilly, rural and coastal areas keeping in mind the
physical attributes of the people required for a particular
sport. The scouted talents are imparted scientific training in
the particular sport to meet the ever-growing requirements
for achieving excellence in modern competitive sports. The
sports under the scheme are Archery, Gymnastics, football,
Hockey, Shooting, Water sports, cycling and fencing. At
moment SAI has eleven such centres under its direct control.

14. Sports projact development Areas (SPDA)
In 1987 , the govt. Of India decided to start SPDA centres in all
states/UTSs which would be provided in –house coaching facilities
for talented youngsters in their respective states. The scheme is
jointly implemented by the govt. Of India and the state
governments. Each SPDA centre covers 80 to 100 developmental
blocks having linkage with regional centres of the SAI at the
national level and block nodal centres at grass root level. The
scheme is conceived of keeping in mind the fact that 80% of
population of India lives in rural areas each SPDA centre caters to a
maximum of 4 Olympic disciplines based on the popularity of
those disciplines in that area. In addition , one or two indigenous
games may also become part of the training programme. Out of the
four Olympic disciplines atlest one from amongst Athletics,
gymnastics, Swimming is to be included in the programme.

15. The major objectives of the
scheme
 1. To make it possible for the central and state
governments to work together for sports development
through an integrated effort:
 2. To remove regional imbalances in the development of
sports infrastructure
 3. To nurture talented sports persons on a long term
basis
 4. To ensure maximum utilisation of the existing sports
facilities,
 5. To make equitable distribution of the funds for sports
development.

16. Sports Science Research Fellowship
Scheme
The Sports Authority of India awards sports science
scholarships to research workers for carrying out
research in sports science such as sports physiology,
sports injuries, sport psychology, sport nutrition, sport
biomechanics and sport training methods. Under this
scheme 5 – 10 scholarships are awarded every year, the
value of each scholarship being upto 20,000 per annum
with additional contingency amount of rupees 10,000
per annum

17. Sports Talent Search Scholarship Scheme
The scheme was introduced by the government of India
in 1970- 71 to enable the young promising and talented
boys and girls studying at the secondary stage of
education and proficient in sports to develop their talent
in sports and to enable them to have nutritious diet
during their studentship the students are selected on the
basis of sports competitions at national or state level for
the award of scholarship. Scholarships are also provided
to outstanding university/college level sports-persons
under NSO programme and to women under the
programme of promotion of sports physical education
amongst women.

18. The old scholarships are also renewed provided the holders
continue to maintain to improve their level of achievement.
The national level scholarships are given @ rs.4,800 /per
annum and state level rupees 3600/ per annum. While there
is no upper limit for the number of national scholarships,
hundred state level scholarship are given for each state and
40 scholarships for each union territory every year.

19. National sports Festival For
Women
The National Sports Festival for Women was frist
organised in 1972 by the Government of India to boost
women’s participation in games and sports. The
organisation of the championships was given to NIS ,
Patiala. Now it is organised by the SAI every year in two
groups. For the propose of lower level competition
financial assistance is made available to the states @ Rs.
1000/per block, rs. 3000/district, Rs. 10,000 for state level
tournaments (for bigger states) and Rs. 5000/ for smaller
states or Uts.

20. National Sports Policy
The national policy of education, 1968 laid emphasis on
“inspiring the physical fitness and Sportsmanship of the
average student as well as those who excellent in this
department.” The need to have “playing fields and other
facilities ” was given a priority. The 1979- NPE recognized
physical education consisting of sports and games and
athletics, including rural sports, indigenous games, yoga
exercise...... etc. As “part of education at various levels” with
emphasis on “health and fitness......at all stages”. “efforts
should be maid” , states the NPE. “to locate talent among
boys and girls and to provide facilities to enable them to
develop their capacities and attain national and international
standards of excellence in sports”.