'FICCI TURF brings together entire Indian sports industry': Neha Mathur Rastogi

The much-awaited 11th edition of the FICCI TURF sports summit is scheduled to be held on November 26, in the national capital. The much-awaited event brings together key stakeholders across the Indian sports industry under the overarching theme 'Vision 2047: Indian Sports after 100 years of Independence'.

We caught up with Neha Mathur Rastogi, Co-Chair of FICCI’s Sports & Youth Affairs Committee to understand what makes TURF unique compared to other sports summits, her expectations from this year's edition, and why this event is a must-attend for professionals from the sports industry.

FICCI TURF: A must-attend event

1) What makes TURF stand out from other sports summits?

Rastogi: FICCI TURF is an event that brings the entire sports industry of India together and has a rich legacy. Even in the early days of my career, being part of FICCI TURF was treated with a lot of gravitas. The objective of the event is to provide an effective platform to bring together a balanced set of stakeholders, including policymakers, athletes, and business entities.

2) From a business networking perspective, why is TURF 2022 a must-attend?

Rastogi: As an industry, we often tend to work in silos pertaining to our immediate areas of impact. This event allows everyone to come together and collectively carve out the flavors and priorities we want to undertake to help India grow as a sporting nation. There is a lot of power in working together - sports as an industry is a shining example of the same.

3) What led you to accept the position of Co-Chair of FICCI’s Sports & Youth Affairs Committee?

Rastogi: I have been working in sports communications for around 16-17 years. It is important for me to give back and also bring together stakeholders in the industry I am working with via this platform, which could present unique opportunities for dialog and collaboration.

4) As a PR professional, in terms of attracting an audience, how can sports summits such as TURF transcend the core sports industry community and generate broader interest from the mainstream masses towards sports issues?

Rastogi: Sports has achieved mainstream status over the last few years thanks to the growing priority it receives. This helps us transcend other sectors. Brands and marketing entities are discovering new opportunities in sports, while education, CSR, technology, and several other such sectors are also looking for a new semblance with the growing sports ecosystem.

5) What are your audience/engagement expectations from this year’s summit?

Rastogi: We expect a large audience to attend this year's edition of FICCI TURF. The sessions being curated address a wide range of subjects that are key discussion avenues including sports technology, sports for development, growing league culture, and sports science and nutrition.

We look forward to meaningful dialog and engagement across these sessions.

7) Generally, it has been noted that familiar faces turn up at every sports summit, especially since the Indian sports industry is still a small, albeit growing, community. How do you ensure diverse participation and a fresh exchange of ideas?

Rastogi: By introducing new sessions around aspects like nutrition, science, technology, and fantasy sports, we are looking at a good cross-segment of participation. Our view of sports is not limited only to athletes, federations, and sponsors. The industry has grown beyond that, with the ancillary sector also developing a keen interest in the industry. What they need is a bridge to understanding first-hand how this sector works to align better. We look forward to TURF playing a role in this conduit for the industry to expand across new avenues.

8) Have all previous editions of TURF also been hosted in Delhi? If so, does FICCI have plans to host a sports summit in other cities too?

Rastogi: Yes, all previous editions were hosted in Delhi. Hosting in other cities will be tough due to the presence of the Ministry and Central Government officials in Delhi who are our speakers and priority guests.

9) For those who may be unable to attend, are there provisions to register online, and attend remotely through live streaming of the sessions?

Rastogi: The event was held virtually the last time around due to the pandemic. This year, however, it will be completely physical, with no virtual guests. A recording of the entire event will be available on the FICCI YouTube page.