Nilesh Kulkarni launches Sports Management Institute

July 29, 2010

Indian cricketer, Nilesh Kulkarni, who announced his retirement from the game yesterday, has launched the Indian Institute of Sports Management.

The Institute aims to provide a structured sports marketing and management programme through its undergraduate and postgraduate diploma in Sports Management in association with Jai Hind College in Mumbai.

Kulkarni said: “I have retired in order to focus on developing the younger generation in the field of sports. I am now ready and excited to move into the next phase of my life which will be of paramount importance.

“Sports has always been my passion. IISM aims to deliver sports education with a global perspective and I’m confident that my students will find their tenure with us an enriching experience.”

The launch was attended by Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) chief administrative officer, Prof Ratnakar Shetty. He added: “Sports management is a huge area which is untouched in India. Sports today have got various areas of specialisation.

“Cricket only used to be related to cricketers but today it is a career, you have an umpire who makes a career, you have a statistician, you have a video analyst. So I think avenues are open for people, it’s only how you look at it and go into areas where you want to understand and create a career for yourself.”

Kulkarni played three Tests and ten One Day Internationals for India. He became the only Indian ever to take a wicket on his very first delivery in a Test match.