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ADMIN

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  18. ADMIN
    Who is a sports enthusiast? A cricketer training in the scorching sun, or a budding gymnast with dreams of representing India at a global forum perhaps. 
    Those were my first thoughts too. 
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    However, by limiting sports to on-field careers, we’re bridling the Indian sports industry. EdTech start-up ‘Sporjo’ aims to bring about a wave of change and create awareness, education & training modules and opportunities for a wider spectrum of sports enthusiasts. We’re talking match operations, broadcast production, sports writers, series analysts, merchandising, and a lot more! 
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    To muster a deeper understanding, we interviewed Mr Punit Balan, Chairman Punit Balan Group & Punit Balan Studios. He invested $2 million in this start-up and is a passionate supporter of ‘Sporjo’. 

    Q1. We’ve heard that you never miss your weekend cricket matches - how has sports as a hobby impacted your life?Punit: I have been practising cricket for more than 15-20 years. I practice every morning for 2 hours and also play a lot of tournaments in and around Pune and also at the invitation of MCA matches. Sport has taught me discipline, teamwork and sportsmanship – all of which have deeply impacted my life. 
    For the unversed, Olympic Medallist Leander Paes is a Strategic Advisor and Brand Ambassador for this start-up. 
    Sporjo
    Q2. What’s your earliest memory of Sporjo? How did you come across this eduTech start-up?Punit: My earliest memory about Sporjo is the day we were in discussion over the investment with Leander & Srini, and numbers were going back and forth. In the middle of discussions, the conversation took a humorous turn and Leander said, “No one should sit in front of you, you are a very hardcore negotiator!”
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    Q3. What makes Sporjo stand out among the myriad sports start-ups in India?Punit: Sporjo is the only education, training & employment-oriented online company in the field of sports. What Sporjo is doing for the Indian sports industry is transformative. With the Indian sports market poised for growth, there is an ever-growing need for professionals in the industry. It is also the right time to start educating parents, children and professionals about the varied careers that exist in the sports industry and providing them with a roadmap backed with an action plan. 
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    Q4. When we hear someone talk about a career in sports, we instantly think of on-field options like an athlete or coach. Sporjo intends to educate our country about the various off-field sports management careers. Please apprise us about this endeavour. Punit: With Sporjo, our aim is to spread awareness around the fact that a job in Sports is a viable career option. All of Sporjo‘s courses are vocational. These are short practical courses giving candidates just the right amount of training to succeed in the ever-dynamic sports world. We believe in Sporjo for Life and have a customised program for you no matter what stage of life may be at – school (coming soon), college graduate, young professional or even a mid-senior level. 
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    For example, the Sporjo MENTOR Programme focuses on an individual’s strengths because each one of them has different abilities and skills. These are designed to get the best out of every individual and handhold them through the process of finding a job. It fills gaps that traditional education may not be able to give. It’s an immersive journey that replicates the work environment. The Sporjo Plus programme is designed for people with 7 to 10 years of experience from other industries who want to make a transition to sports.
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    Q5. What kind of placement records does Sporjo have in the sports management industry?Punit: At Sporjo, we have one of the largest databases of sports organisations and organisations that associate with sport. We are placing people across the board – from interns to C Suite levels. Our placements have been in companies such as Tata, Mobile Premier League (MPL), ISL franchises, Abhinav Bindra Academy, Sports For All among others. 
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    Q6. How has the Covid-19 pandemic affected the sports industry? Who suffered the most?Punit: Of course, there has been be a big impact because of COVID. 
    · Events have slowly started without spectators at venues. Which means there may be less security personnel but more health and safety personnel for creating and managing bio secure bubbles. 
    · Fan engagement at venues may not be there but will emerge on digital and TV which were not leveraged that much earlier. 
    · Operations people at the venue may reduce but people in digital working remotely might increase. 
    · The operations vertical which accounts for the maximum jobs in sports has been impacted the most due to lack of events. 
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    Q7. What according to you are the 3 major ways in which the Indian sports industry can grow? Punit: 1. Investment into grassroots to produce quality athletes. If there are quality athletes, the ecosystem around them grows – the sport, the infra, tournaments, jobs (athlete managers, social media managers etc) and the sport becomes a lot better
    2. Using tech to facilitate better interaction all over the world – for coaching, athlete development, technique, fitness, etc. 
    3. Sports being part of the curriculum in schools
    Q8. In what other ways have you extended your support to the athletes/sports organisations? Ans: I have been supporting various teams and athletes over the years. With athletes, the endeavour is to help aspiring sports persons who are training to be elite athletes by helping them with grants and scholarships. Some of the teams that I support are Pune Jaguars in the Tennis Premier League, a team in the Premier Badminton League, Cape Cobras – a premier league team from South Africa, among others. 
    ‘Sporjo’ intends to bridge the gap between passion and profession, sparking a sports revolution of sorts. Click here to find out more about the start-up. 

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