Raksha Khadse, Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports, addressed the All-Women Coaches Course under AITA’s ACE 2032 initiative. The event focused on expanding opportunities for women in sports, strengthening coach education, grassroots tennis, athlete development, and creating safe and sustainable careers in sports.
On Saturday, October 24, Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports Raksha Khadse addressed the All-Women Coaches Course under the All India Tennis Association’s (AITA) ACE 2032 initiative at the Delhi Lawn Tennis Association (DLTA) Tennis Stadium in New Delhi. The event was attended by several dignitaries, including Shri Rohit Rajpal, President, DLTA; Shri Kawaljeet Singh, Director of Coaching, AITA; Shri Ashutosh Singh, Davis Cup Coach; Shri Sunder Iyer, Honorary Secretary, AITA; Shri Dinesh Arora, Treasurer, AITA; and Coach Radhika Kanitkar, associated with the BKJC Cup. Coaches and sporting professionals shared perspectives on strengthening coach education, grassroots tennis, and athlete development.
Union MoS Raksha Khadse emphasized that India’s ambition to become a leading sporting nation depends on identifying talent early and ensuring that women and girls have access to qualified coaches, suitable infrastructure, regular competition, and sustained support. She highlighted that sporting talent exists across rural, tribal, semi-urban, and urban communities, and expanding participation is vital to widening India’s talent pool and strengthening its prospects at national and international competitions.
The discussions highlighted the role of ASMITA women’s leagues under the Khelo India framework in expanding access to organised sports. Launched in 2021, the leagues have reached more than three lakh women, creating opportunities for participation and competition across regions and communities. The need to connect grassroots initiatives with Khelo India Centres, accredited academies, and Centres of Excellence was also emphasised to help promising athletes progress towards higher levels of performance.
A key focus of the course was increasing the number of qualified women coaches and expanding access to coaching education and certification across states. Greater representation of women in coaching can help encourage girls to participate in sports while strengthening the quality and reach of athlete development.
The AITA ACE 2032 initiative seeks to connect coach education with talent identification and elite player development. Participants highlighted the importance of practical training, mentorship, and continued professional development in preparing coaches for the demands of competitive sport. Discussions also covered high-performance training and specialised coaching capabilities.
Regional perspectives on coaching and player development were shared by participants from Tamil Nadu, Arunachal Pradesh, and Jammu and Kashmir, underscoring the importance of coaching and fitness programmes that meet the needs of players at different stages of development and across diverse regional settings.
The course also highlighted the growing range of professional opportunities in sports, including coaching, fitness training, sports science, event management, and administration. Participants stressed the need to equip more women with the skills and qualifications required to enter these fields and progress into leadership roles.
Source:
Press Information Bureau
