Lucknow: The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) successfully organized the Sports Summit – Uttar Pradesh Chapter at the Renaissance Hotel, Lucknow. Themed “Uttar Pradesh: Emerging Powerhouse in India’s Sports Landscape,” the event brought together leading figures from sports, government, and industry to explore the state’s growing impact on the national sports ecosystem.
The summit opened with keynote addresses by Ashok Dhyanchand, Co-Chair of the FICCI Uttar Pradesh Sports Committee, Arjuna Awardee and former Indian hockey player, and Rachna Govil, Co-Chair of the committee, Arjuna Awardee and former Executive Director of the Sports Authority of India.
The summit, hosted by the UPT20 team Kashi Rudras, saw the participation of prominent names such as Anandeshwar Pandey (Secretary General, UP Olympic Association), D.S. Chauhan (Chairman, UPT20 and Director, UPCA), Jaspal Rana (Secretary General, UP Karate Association), Vidushpat Singhania (Managing Partner, Krida Legal), Vinay Pandey (Secretary General, UP Squash Racquets Association), Abhishek Chowdhary (Sports Medicine Specialist, KGMU Lucknow), Prithijit Das (President, Inter Kashi), Olympian Lalit Upadhyay, and Apurv Gupta (Head, Combat Sports – Capri Sports).
Several other sports leaders contributed to the discussions, including Dr. Anand Kishore Pandey (Senior Vice President, Lucknow Cycling Association), Jitendra Awasthi (Singhania Bridge Academy, Kanpur), Olympian Sujit Kumar, Virendra Vikram Singh (Secretary General, Basketball Association of UP), Anirban Chatterjee (Head, Sports – FICCI), Pranav Yadav (Assistant Director, Sports – FICCI), and Sukhvinder Singh (Head, Sports Strategy – JK Cement).
Key discussions centered on the need for stronger corporate involvement in building infrastructure, scouting young talent, and ensuring long-term sustainability for athletes. The summit underlined the significance of partnerships between the state, private sector, and sports bodies to shape Uttar Pradesh’s future as a leading hub for sports in India.
A comprehensive report from the deliberations will be submitted to state authorities and sports stakeholders. The recommendations are expected to form the basis of Uttar Pradesh’s representation at the upcoming FICCI Sports Summit – Turf 2026, scheduled in New Delhi later this year.
