Listen "Improving India"
Episode Synopsis
Developing Rugby India with Nasser HussainMost nations that play rugby also play cricket. One notable exception is India, where rugby is still a fledgling sport currently categorised under ‘other sports’. Today, we talk to Nasser Hussain, the CEO of Rugby India and the man responsible for putting the game on the map in India. Tune in to find out how Nasser himself got involved in the game and why he felt it was important to become an accredited world rugby trainer. We learn about the two major challenges facing Rugby India (infrastructure and media exposure), and what Nasser and his team are doing to address these. From the union’s upcoming targets for the high-performance Asian Games and Olympic teams to maintaining rugby participation at a grassroots level through the pandemic while supporting the community in any way possible, Nasser and his team are doing an incredible job! Join us to learn all about how this inspiring man is rousing a nation to rugby. Key Points From This Episode:Who Nasser Hussain is and his journey from playing to chairing Rugby India. The roles that Nasser and his father have played in Rugby India and the game itself. His perspective on what being an accredited world rugby trainer means for Rugby India.How COVID-19 has affected participation in rugby in India and what Nasser has been doing to try and maintain it. The role of commercial sponsors in supporting the growth of rugby in India. How cricket and rugby in India co-exist and why Nasser feels they hold different spaces.The infrastructure across India that is a challenge to the growth of rugby. The challenge of media exposure for rugby in India and what Nasser is doing to address it. Rugby India's broad strategic plan to target the Asian Games and the Olympics. The structure of Rugby India, from the union to the executive team and the roles of each. What success to the administrative side of Rugby India looks like: good governance, model implementation, and improving high performance. Why it’s important to move Rugby out of the ‘other sports’ category.What the Stand United movement was and how Rugby India supported the community through the pandemic. “What we identified within Rugby India was there are a lot of players, but not enough coaches, not enough match officials. I think that's [one of] the challenges for developing unions.” — Nasser Hussain [0:04:39] “During COVID, surprisingly, we’ve managed to get more partners on board. The fact that we didn’t have much to do on field [meant that] we spent time doing things which you put on the back burner and don’t prioritise, which are important as well.” — Nasser Hussain [0:08:30] “Our focus is to ensure [that] our management and administration is top-notch, and hopefully everything else follows suit.” — Nasser Hussain [0:19:56] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:Nasser Hussain on LinkedInRugby IndiaGovernment of OdishaBlade IndiaKalinga Institute of Industrial TechnologyBLKKatrina Email AddressRugbyKOEmail RugbyKO
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