About Somaiya Sports Academy
About Somaiya Sports Academy
Somaiya Sports Academy was uniquely envisioned as both a multi-sports training and an academic institute. It is already recognized as the gold standard in coaching & preparing high performing sports professionals capable of competing at the highest levels. Along with administering the latest and the most scientific sports training and providing a competitive environment, the Academy is committed to providing educational courses to students, to find new career opportunities in the industry
The Somaiya Sports Academy is a constituent institute of the newly established Somaiya Vidyavihar University and is housed in its sprawling green campus in Mumbai. The academy has been offering unparalleled coaching and sports support to all the other institutions of Somaiya Vidyavihar since its inception in 2001.
The Academy with its robust professional-grade sports facilities and high technology laboratories is all set to offer courses in Sports Science at the undergraduate level and the very popular MBA in Sports Management.
Why B.Sc. Sports Science?
The Sports Science and Exercise programme optimally leverages evidence-based knowledge and practical skills with the aim of producing future-ready graduates who can contribute constructively in varied settings. The programme balances evidence-based knowledge and practical skills with the aim of producing graduates who can contribute constructively in varied settings. Somaiya Sports Academy is well supported by the K J Somaiya College of Physiotherapy. The laboratories are equipped with the latest modern facilities, where the students will take part in practical sessions examining O2 consumption, glucose concentration, body composition and dietary analysis.
The students will have access to an environmental chamber which simulates the effects of diverse climatic conditions on physical performance, a full biomechanics laboratory and a DXA bone scanner, measuring the density and mineral composition of the skeletal structure.
Vision
To create a world class Sports Academy for the students of Somaiya as well as other sport enthusiasts.
To instil in our students knowledge of sport, moral values, leadership and confidence to make them reach their full potential as sports person and human beings.
Mission
Our mission is to educate our students in sport, for recreation and for health, as part of a holistic education.
We will help individuals realize the benefits of an active sporting lifestyle for physical and mental health.
To encourage a healthy lifestyle among students at an early age so that it can stay with them for life. We also commit ourselves to develop talented sporting individuals while keeping them rooted in their goal to become highly educated.
To teach them good conduct and discipline through physical activity, and to instil in them respect for everyone around them.
Within our sporting framework we also plan on inculcating values of ethics, nutrition and a scientific approach to sporting excellence.
We will ensure that talented students from all backgrounds will have the opportunity to train in our academy.
To ensure that the ABC of fitness; those being athleticism, balance, coordination are worked on at a young age so that children can go on to become better sports people as they grow, and would specialise in a sport at an elite level.
To get them to be competitive so that they can perform to the best of their potential, and learn to push themselves to the best of their ability.
Director's Message
"Welcome to Somaiya Sports Academy!"
I, Aazaz Khan, Director of Somaiya Sports Academy, have been associated with this vision since I was six and a half years old. Somaiya Sports Academy was earlier known as Somaiya Sports Centre and was established in 2001. In 2016, it was structured into an academy with the mission to have maximum sports participation and high-performance sports training for all the Somaiya students and other sports enthusiasts. Somaiya Sports Academy is a premier sporting institution armed with state-of-the-art sports facilities and a dedicated team of certified coaches and sports development professionals. It caters to individuals and teams who aspire to compete at a high level and provides world-class coaching. We are located in Somaiya Vidyavihar’s lush green 50-acre campus in the central suburbs of Mumbai.
Somaiya Sports Academy currently focuses on coaching in 12 sports. Last year, 3816 students took credit and non-credit courses, 1456 students were trained for competitions, and 6059 students took part in various sports events. The Somaiya Sports Academy is accredited to the All India Football Federation and has junior and sub-junior Hero i-League teams. The academy is also accredited to the Mumbai District Football Association and has 1st division, 2nd division and Women’s division Football teams. The academy is well supported by the Badminton Gurukul, Bhaichung Bhutia Football School and The Skate Academy as training partners. I am delighted that in addition to the focus on conducting credit and non-credit sports courses and high-performance sports training, Somaiya Sports Academy now has an academic wing under Somaiya Vidyavihar University to conduct Sports programmes. We have jointly conceived the MBA Sports Management degree with KJ Somaiya Institute of Management in response to an increasing need for qualified sports professionals who are well equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to support the growing sports and allied industries in India and the world. Today is a great day as we launch the BSc Sports and Exercise Science programme to address the need for a professional programme at an undergraduate level, which addresses the need for a science-based sports and exercise training programme. The focus of the programme will be to help the students learn how to help athletes maximise performance and endurance in preparation for events and competitions while lessening the risk of injury. I firmly believe that many top undergraduate students will pursue their interest and passion in the areas of sports management and sports science. The programme offered is a 3-year full-time programme consisting of 6 semesters. The final semester will have one month of internship training. The students who have successfully passed their 10+2 Examination from Arts, Commerce or Science streams can apply for the BSc Sports and Science Programme.
The strength of the BSc Sports and Exercise Science programme lies in the expertise of its staff, the quality of teaching, and the emphasis on the theory-practice approach for all courses taught. This ensures that our graduates are qualified to take on major roles in the sports industry in the future. We have state-of-the-art sports facilities for all mainstream and indigenous sports. With the assistance of K J Somaiya College of Physiotherapy, we are also proud to have sports science laboratories as well as other facilities at the university campus to support quality teaching and learning for the staff and students. Our faculty members are highly motivated and always strive to provide the best teaching and learning experience for our students so that they are well-equipped for their careers. There are also numerous activities and opportunities provided for our students to participate, learn, and grow holistically. These include research projects, industry experience via the Final Year Project, and the internship programme to ensure that they are well-qualified to take on important roles in the future. To be housed in the Eklavya Sports Complex, the Sports and Exercise Science program will prepare the student for various Sports, health, and fitness-related career paths through numerous experiential learning opportunities on and off campus. After successful completion of the programme, our graduates will have multiple sport-related career opportunities:
- Sports Coach
- Sports Scientist
- Performance Developer
- Physical Education Teacher
- Fitness Instructor
- Strength and Conditioning Coach
- Sports Trainer
- Sports Analytics
- Sports Retail
- Health and Fitness Chains
- Health and Fitness Apps
- Sports Medicine and Nutrition
- Event Management Companies
- Sports Leagues
- Sports Specialists
- Sports Media Management
So if you want to be a part of the exciting and rapidly growing field of Sports and Exercise Science, become part of the Somaiya Vidyavihar Sports community. If you have any questions, please contact the sports admissions team at admissions.sports@somaiya.edu
We look forward to helping you in your journey toward a career in the Sports and fitness-related fields. Somaiya Vidyavihar University is a place where you can explore new possibilities, pursue your passion and, above all, find yourself.
Advisory Board
Expert Members
Aparna Popat
Aparna Popat is a 2-time Olympian (2000, 2004) who represented India at major badminton events for 13 years, including the World Championships, Asian Games, and Commonwealth Games, where she won 4 medals, including silver in 1998.
In 1996, Aparna became the first Indian to win a World Junior Championships medal (silver). She dominated national badminton, winning 16 National Championship singles titles over 17 years, including 9 consecutive Senior National titles, equalling Prakash Padukone’s record.
In recognition of her achievements, she received the Arjuna Award in 2005. Aparna reached a career-high world ranking of No. 16 and retired as India’s No. 1 player, undefeated at the National Championships.
She was the only Indian selected for the Global Sports Mentoring Programme 2012, an initiative of the US Department of State and ESPNW, focused on empowering women through sport.
With an MBA and vast experience, Aparna has served as Executive Director of the Olympians Association of India and is a General Assembly Member of the Indian Olympic Association. Today, as COO of All Is Well, she works at the intersection of fitness, sports science, tech, and analytics.
Aparna continues to contribute through coaching, mentoring, commentary, speaking engagements, advisory roles, and supporting grassroots sport, rural initiatives, and the empowerment of women.
Mr. Adille Sumariwala
Adille Sumariwalla is a distinguished Olympian and veteran sports administrator, representing India in the 100m sprint at the 1980 Moscow Olympics. An Arjuna Awardee and long-standing President of the Athletics Federation of India, he was elected to the Council of the IAAF (now World Athletics), making him the first Indian to do so.
With a career that includes a gold medal at the 1984 South Asian Games, a medal at the 1979 Asian Track & Field Championships, and 11 national titles in the 100m sprint, Sumariwalla held the national record for 18 years. He also set the men's 200m Collegiate Record, which stood for 35 years.
Sumariwalla has served as Chef-de-Mission for the Indian contingent at the 2014 Asian Games, played a pivotal role in coaching Olympians and national athletes, and has been recognised by the State Government for Excellence in Athletics and Coaching. Under his leadership as President of AFI, India witnessed a historic moment when Neeraj Chopra claimed a Gold Medal in Tokyo 2020.
An accomplished sports administrator, he has been a Council Member of IAAF/World Athletics since 2015, serving as Chair of the Strategic Communications Advisory Group, the Age Manipulation Committee, and a member of the Development Committee. He has served as President of AFI, Vice President of the National Olympic Committee, and held pivotal roles in the Olympic Council of Asia, including the Sports and Environment Committee. He has also been part of the Organising Committees for the Commonwealth Games (2010), Commonwealth Youth Games (2008), and multiple National Games.
Appointed to the Mission Olympic Cell by the Government of India for the 2020 and 2024 Olympics, Sumariwalla has been an integral part of the Fit India Movement and the Khelo India initiative. An entrepreneur with a strong media background and an MBA from the Asian Institute of Management and the Harvard Business School-India Research Centre, he continues to shape the future of Indian sports, inspiring generations of athletes across the country.