International Conference 2027
Youth for Impact: Game Changers in Sports Leadership
Equity, AI-Enabled Innovation and Good Governance for Viksit Bharat 2047
Jointly organised by the Indian Institute of Management Shillong and the Department of Youth Affairs, Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, Government of India
1. About the Theme
India’s sporting landscape is entering a defining decade. The Union Cabinet’s approval of the National Sports Policy 2025 (Khelo Bharat Niti) in July 2025, the enactment of the National Sports Governance Act, 2025, the award of the 2030 Commonwealth Games to Ahmedabad, and the country’s aspiration to host the 2036 Olympic and Paralympic Games have together reset expectations of Indian sport. The goal is no longer only to win medals, but to build the institutions, industries and communities that sustain excellence. With roughly two-thirds of the population below 35, this transformation will be led, delivered and judged by young Indians — as athletes, and equally as administrators, coaches, sports scientists, technologists, entrepreneurs and volunteers.
“Youth for Impact: Game Changers in Sports Leadership” asks what that leadership must look like. Three shifts define the present moment. Equity — gender parity in leadership, opportunities for Para-athletes, and access for rural, tribal and North-East communities, backed by safe-sport practices. Intelligence — AI, data analytics, wearables and computer vision are changing talent identification, injury prevention, coaching, officiating and fan engagement, and raise new questions of ethics, data privacy and access. Integrity — the new statutory framework for sports governance calls for professional, transparent and athlete-centred administration, and for a generation of young leaders prepared to run it.
Around these shifts sit three further concerns: a growing sports economy (leagues, sports tourism, manufacturing, start-ups and creator-led media), athlete mental health and wellbeing, and the need for climate-resilient, sustainable venues and events. The North-East has a deep sporting culture and a rich tradition of indigenous games; hosting the Conference at IIM Shillong places the region’s youth at the centre of this national conversation. The Conference is aligned with the National Sports Policy’s ambition of placing India among the world’s leading sporting nations by 2047. It positions sport not merely as competition but as a vehicle for social transformation, national pride and international influence, and it offers young people a platform to shape the policies and institutions that will define Indian sport.
2. Sub-themes and Key Focus Areas
The following six sub-themes will also serve as the thematic tracks for the Call for Papers, roundtables and panel discussions.
|
No. |
Sub-theme / Track |
Key focus areas |
|
1 |
Inclusive Pathways: Gender Equity, Para-Sport and Access for All |
Mobilising youth towards inclusive sports development; gender parity and women in sports leadership; Para-sport; access for rural, tribal and North-East communities. |
|
2 |
Game Changers in Governance: Youth Leadership, Integrity and Safe Sport |
Implementation of the National Sports Governance Act, 2025; athlete voice and youth representation; ethics, safeguarding and anti-doping; transparent, accountable federations; dispute resolution. |
|
3 |
Intelligent Sport: AI, Data and Sports Technology |
AI-enabled talent identification and performance analytics; wearables, sports science and injury prevention; digital fan engagement; responsible AI and data privacy in sport. |
|
4 |
Sports Economy and Enterprise: Start-ups, Leagues and Sports Tourism |
Sports entrepreneurship and start-ups; professional leagues; sports manufacturing and tourism; creator and e-sports ecosystems; financing and sponsorship models. |
|
5 |
Wellbeing and Sustainability: Athlete Mental Health and Green Sport |
Sports psychology, nutrition and athlete mental health; climate-resilient venues; sustainable, low-carbon event management. |
|
6 |
Global Playbook: Mega-Event Legacy, Sports Diplomacy and Grassroots Pipelines |
Legacy planning for Ahmedabad 2030 and future mega-events; sports diplomacy; community leagues, school and university sport (NEP 2020 integration); traditional and indigenous sports. |
3. About the Conference
The Conference is jointly hosted by the Indian Institute of Management Shillong and the Department of Youth Affairs, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India. It seeks to empower the sports community of India, especially in the North-East, through gender equity, innovation, sustainability, good governance and digital transformation. It will bring together policymakers, sports administrators, entrepreneurs, government representatives, research scholars and young athletes to share knowledge, build partnerships and chart a roadmap for sports management in the region.
4. Objectives
- To give Indian and International youth a grounded understanding of global developments in sports leadership, governance, technology and enterprise, and the confidence to articulate their views at international forums.
- To bring national and international speakers, delegates and dignitaries together to exchange ideas, values and practice.
- To showcase quality youth research (researchers below 35 years) in sports management through paper presentations and publication.
- To give young people a platform to voice their perspectives on public-interest issues in sport, and to translate them into a policy brief for the Department.
5. About IIM Shillong
Founded in 2007 as India’s seventh IIM, the Indian Institute of Management Shillong (IIM Shillong) is a premier public business school and an Institute of National Importance operating under the Ministry of Education, Government of India. Internationally accredited by both AACSB and EQUIS, the institute is globally recognized for its rigorous research, high-quality management education, and distinct strategic focus on sustainable development, ethical leadership, and innovation. Known widely as the "Campus in the Clouds," IIM Shillong serves as a vibrant hub for global management ideas rooted deeply in Indian values and regional context. Its mission is to generate and disseminate knowledge in all aspects of management education for sustainable development and to develop innovative leaders with strong ethical values. Its core values are openness to new ideas; intellectual freedom; self-experimentation and creative pursuit; adherence to fairness, justice and ethical values; and compassion for others.
Through a comprehensive suite of academic paths—including its flagship two-year Post Graduate Programme (PGP) in Management, the executive MBA for Working Executives (MBAWE), Integrated Programme in Management (IPM), and rigorous Doctoral Programmes—IIM Shillong maintains a powerful research ecosystem. This is further amplified by specialized centers of excellence, such as the Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Centre for Policy Research and Analysis, which actively translates academic research into high-impact regional development strategies, consultancy, and community-centric innovation.
6. Call for Papers
Original contributions are invited from scholars and practitioners from India and abroad who are below 35 years of age and have thematic expertise. Papers are sought under the six sub-themes in Section 2, across disciplines including Economics, Sociology, Responsible Business, Marketing, Finance & Accounting, HR & OB, Strategy & Entrepreneurship, Operations, Law and Policy, Sports Science, and Interdisciplinary Studies. Submissions may be qualitative or quantitative research, case studies or innovative methodologies.
Selection process: Submitted papers will undergo single-blind review before final acceptance.
Publication: Accepted papers will be compiled and published by IIM Shillong as a formal compendium with support from the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, and will be considered for peer-reviewed journals and edited volumes with ISBN.
Support: No registration fee. Both national and international paper presenters will receive travel, food and lodging support in accordance with Government of India guidelines.
Submission guidelines
- Format: Full paper in Microsoft Word Format, following standard Emerald submission guidelines (refer to https://www.emerald.com/journals/author-guidance/1627/Emerald-Publishing-Author-Guidelines), including Emerald's abstract format.
- Font: Times New Roman, size 12, double-spaced; margins: 1 inch (2.5 cm)
- References: APA (7th Edition)
- Submission portal: https://conf.iimshillong.ac.in/yfi2027/
Important dates
|
Call for papers released |
14 October 2026 |
|
Full paper submission closes |
14 November 2026 |
|
Intimation of acceptance |
01 December 2026 |
|
Registration opens / closes |
1 December 2026 / 5 February 2027 |
|
Conference dates |
5 March to 7 March 2027 |
6. Conference Patron
Prof. Arun Mohan Sherry, Director, IIM Shillong
7. Conference Chairperson
Dr. Devansh Pandey, Assistant Professor, IIM Shillong
8. Committee Members from IIM Shillong
Prof. Bidyut J. Gogoi
Prof. Krantiraditya Dhalmahapatra
Prof. Ravi Shankar Bhakat
Prof. Pradeep Rathore
Dr. Ningombam Sanjeev K
Shri Merlvin J. Mukhim
Shri Redsing K. Shabong
9. Contact: Dr. Devansh Pandey, Conference Chairperson, IIM Shillong — yfi2027@iimshillong.ac.in; devansh@iimshillong.ac.in — Phone: +91-3642308112
- Committee sign-in is closed