Javelin star Neeraj Chopra and badminton coach Pullela Gopichand on Thursday launched the Indian School of Coaching Excellence (ISCE), an initiative aimed at improving coach development and strengthening India’s sporting ecosystem.
The initiative will offer multidisciplinary programmes for coaches, covering areas such as physical literacy, sports science, sports education, technology and career development.
The aim is to give coaches the skills and knowledge needed to work with athletes at different stages of development, including at the high-performance level.
ISCE will also work with government bodies, the Sports Authority of India (SAI), sports federations, associations, high-performance centres, academic institutions and the private sector as part of its coach-development programmes.
Chopra, who won a silver medal at the recently concluded Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, said the quality of coaching plays a crucial role in an athlete’s development.
“I firmly believe that every athlete’s journey is shaped by the guidance and nurturing of his/her coach, not only as a sportsperson but also as an individual,” Chopra said.
He added that coaches needed access to education, mentorship and the latest developments in sports science and athlete development if India is to produce more successful athletes.
“Through the Indian School of Coaching Excellence, the Neeraj Chopra Foundation hopes to create an environment where coaches continue to learn, evolve, and inspire generations of athletes to realise their full potential,” he said.
Gopichand, who has coached Olympic medallists including Saina Nehwal and PV Sindhu as well as former world No. 1 Kidambi Srikanth, said improving the coaching ecosystem would be important for the next phase of Indian sport.
“The future of Indian sport will be defined by the ecosystem we build. Coaches are at the heart of that ecosystem,” Gopichand said.
“ISCE is our effort to create a platform that combines global best practices with Indian experience, enabling coaches to continuously upskill, collaborate, and lead with confidence.”
Gopichand, a Dronacharya Award recipient and recipient of an International Olympic Committee citation for coaching excellence, said the initiative was intended to help coaches improve their skills and share knowledge.
The school will focus not only on technical coaching but also on areas that have become increasingly important in high-performance sport, including sports science and technology.
The initiative comes as India continues to invest in athlete development and seeks to improve its performance at major international competitions. The focus on coaches reflects the wider challenge of building a system capable of consistently producing elite athletes rather than relying on individual programmes or champions.
ISCE said its broader objective was to create greater opportunities for coaches to access knowledge, mentorship and professional development, with the belief that better-equipped coaches can contribute to sustained improvement across Indian sport.
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