India joins hands with Australia to receive training in sports administration

Indian sports officials are in Australia taking part in a two-week Sports Exchange workshop, designed to provide training in sports administration.

The workshop is one of a number of initiatives Australia has undertaken in response to a request from Prime Minister Modi for greater co-operation in Sport, particularly in Sports training, during reciprocal Prime Ministerial visits in 2014.

Acting Australian High Commissioner Chris Elstoft said the course would provide a great opportunity to bring the two countries together to work on mutually-beneficial capacity building.

"Our sports engagement with India is a key element of our bilateral relationship. Sport is about much more than test matches and Olympic medals," he said.

"India is working to create a sports eco-system and Australia is well positioned to help. This workshop is just the first step."

The Indian delegation is made up of officials from the Department of Sports, Sports Authority of India, state institutes and the sports federations.

The course is funded by the Australian Government. Administrators and experts from the University of Canberra, a leading university in Sports education, will train officials in best practices in sports administration, management and sports science.

The Australian Institute of Sport, which has trained many of Australia's gold medal winners, will conduct sessions on developing India's sports systems.

Participants will have interactive sessions with Hockey Australia; meet the Commonwealth Games Association to discuss planning for the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games; and visit Australian state-of-the-art sports facilities.

The workshop builds on extensive officially-sponsored sports engagement between Australia and India, which has included: a cricket clinic conducted by the members of the Australian Women's T20 cricket team; Cricket legend Adam Gilchrist advising students on how to take up sports as a career; and officials from the Australian Sports Commission and Victoria University visiting India to explore potential partnerships in sports administration, training, sport sciences and education.