The International School Sports Organisation (ISSO) successfully hosted SCORE 2026: Reimagining Sports Career Opportunities, at Lancers International School, Gurgaon, positioning sports as a powerful, multi-dimensional career ecosystem for the next generation.
The event unfolded as a comprehensive platform for students, parents, and educators to understand how the sports industry is rapidly evolving beyond the playing field. The day began with registrations, welcome remarks, and a formal inauguration, followed by a keynote by Mr Remus D’Cruz, Global Head of Brand Strategy at Apollo Tyres.
The Business of Sports panel, moderated by Ms Kala Anand, Director, Sports Advisory at KPMG India, brought together industry leaders including Mr Pablo Tachil of Salesforce, Mr Neel Shah of Dream Sports Foundation, Mr Gaurav Chaudhary and Mr Akbar Akhtar of the GMR Group. The discussions focused on how sports today integrates commerce, finance, media and entrepreneurship, making it a viable and scalable career path, while also emphasising that sports education is now essential in unlocking global opportunities.
The Sports Science & Tech panel, also moderated by Ms Kala Anand, featured experts including Ms Megha Gambhir, CEO, Stupa Sports; Mr Abhigyan Shekhar, Founder & Captain, Zupotsu; Mr Mudit Krishnani, Sport Performance Psychologist at INSPA; Mr Kevin Sireau, Chief Coach of the India National Cycling Team; and Ms Aditi Chauhan, CEO, She Kicks Football Academy and former goalkeeper of the Indian National Football Team. The session explored performance psychology, innovation, and inclusivity, highlighting how science and technology are shaping the future of sport.
Speaking at the event, Remus D’Cruz, Global Head of Brand Strategy at Apollo Tyres, said, “The business of sport today sits at the intersection of culture, commerce, and community. What we are witnessing is a shift where sport is no longer just participation-led, but experience-led, with immense opportunities across branding, media, and fan engagement. Initiatives like SCORE are important in helping young minds understand the scale and potential of this evolving ecosystem.”
Speaking about the initiative, Ms Aakanksha Thapak, Director of the International School Sports Organisation, said, “SCORE is an important step towards changing the way sports is perceived in India. For a long time, conversations around sports careers have been limited to becoming an athlete. Through SCORE, we are creating awareness around the larger ecosystem and helping students and parents understand that sport today offers structured, credible, and future-ready career opportunities across multiple domains.”
A key highlight of the event was the session by Acumen, which focused on emerging global career pathways in sports and education. As a global education partner enabling institutions to expand international opportunities and student access, the session reinforced how structured guidance and global exposure can help students convert passion into profession.
The event concluded with a roundtable for school leaders and counsellors, followed by a Sports Career Expo that enabled direct interaction between students, parents, and leading universities and organisations, collectively reinforcing sport as a unifying global industry with immense potential for career growth, innovation, and long-term development.
