Bangalore, July 01: Axis Bank, one of the largest private sector banks in India, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with GoSports Foundation to launch Axis Bank-GoSports Foundation ‘The Performance Institute’ (AGTPI), a first-of-its-kind initiative aimed at scaling India’s sports science capabilities and advancing research and innovation that contributes to the long term growth of Indian sports.
AGTPI shall be housed at the state-of-the-art Centre for Sports Excellence (CSE) in Bengaluru. The institute will focus on athlete performance, talent identification, building India’s capacity in sports science and medicine, as well as analytics and research focused on the Indian athlete.
As the founding partner, Axis Bank’s CSR grants shall be directed towards the establishment and growth of the institute, with GoSports Foundation leading its administration, programme implementation, and strategic partnerships.
AGTPI shall be built around three core pillars – People, Analytics, and Research.
The People pillar will focus on developing India's sports science and performance workforce through training programmes, fellowships, mentorship opportunities, and professional development pathways. The initiative will help build a stronger pool of qualified practitioners across federations, academies, and high-performance environments.
The Analytics pillar will establish an athlete testing and assessment facility offering performance testing, biomechanics analysis, recovery monitoring, injury-risk assessment, and data-driven performance planning. The institute will also contribute to building India-specific athlete performance databases across sports and demographics.
The Research pillar will focus on helping generate indigenous sports science knowledge through applied research, innovation, industry and university collaborations, and knowledge-sharing initiatives. Its objective is to develop evidence-based solutions that support athletes while contributing to the broader advancement of sports science in India.
Commenting on the partnership, Vijay Mulbagal - Group Head - Wholesale Bank Coverage, Corporate Salary, Sustainability & CSR, Axis Bank, said, “India’s sporting ambitions are entering a defining phase, and ensuring sustained success for Indian athletes globally will require not only talent and training but also a strong foundation of domestic sports science and medicine. Despite India’s rising sporting successes, it still relies largely on foreign performance data and benchmarks which are not entirely aligned with the needs and realities of Indian athletes. At Axis Bank, we are proud to partner with GoSports Foundation to help build an institution that can play a pioneering role in bringing together data, research, analytics, and expertise, to create a robust domestic sports science ecosystem.”
Nandan Kamath, Managing Trustee, GoSports Foundation, said, “This collaboration reflects a shared belief that sustained sporting success is built on strong foundations. Great athletes emerge from great systems, and those systems depend on people, knowledge, and continuous innovation. Our goal is to build a faster, higher and stronger future for Indian sport — together."
Saugato Banerjee, CEO, GoSports Foundation, added, “We thank Axis Bank for believing in GoSports Foundation’s track record and future commitment to powering the Indian sports ecosystem. We look forward to announcing initiatives under The Performance Institute that truly unlock India’s sporting potential — from participation to podium.”
Vivek Kumar, Founder and Promoter, Centre for Sports Excellence, said, "CSE was built to give every athlete an environment that helps them be their best. The AGTPI strengthens that environment, adding world-class capability in sports science, testing and research. We thank Axis Bank and GoSports Foundation for choosing to house the institute at CSE."
By bringing together long-term institutional support, in-depth expertise, and a shared commitment to building a robust domestic sports science ecosystem, this collaboration seeks to help in constructing a sturdy impact across athlete development and performance excellence.
