Visalakshi Talakokula, Sandeep Yechuri and Priya Mahadevappa

Todays generations started looking the world through a small screen, from studies to socializing, profession to passion. This shift has led to an increasingly sedentary lifestyle, where there is nothing much activity outside to smell the soil as the personal and professional both lives are just revolving around the gadgets. Even the sports/games are digitally played further creating a fragile generation which contradicts with the world we are dreaming about. The result is alarming with the following concerns,

• Academic Stress and Burnout
• Physical and mental health issues
• Social Isolation and Poor Interpersonal Skills
• Low Self-Confidence and Motivation
• Sedentary Lifestyle Habits
• Lack of Life Skills and Leadership Qualities

As articulated in our Mahindra Universitys vision "To educate future citizens for and of a better World," we underscore a commitment to education that extends beyond disciplinary knowledge to the holistic development of individuals capable of contributing meaningfully to create a better world.

Adding Sports education into curriculum merely gives the knowledge of sports, which is not enough. We at Mahindra University embed physical activity into our institutional culture, where sport becomes a way of life on campus reflecting in our daily routines, shared values, and collective participation. It transcends formal coursework and fosters lifelong habits of health, teamwork, and resilience. A culturally ingrained sporting environment encourages voluntary engagement, inclusivity, and sustained well-being, ensuring that physical activity is not perceived as an obligation but as an essential component of holistic practice.

Some of the unique practices inculcated at Mahindra University:

Fraternity as whole:

As a best practice at Mahindra University, the promotion of sports and physical activity extends beyond students actively engaging faculty and staff members as flag bearers of the sporting culture. Their enthusiastic participation reinforces the idea that sport is a lifelong pursuit and an integral part of well-being. By leading through example, faculty and staff help create an inclusive, vibrant campus environment where physical activity is embedded in everyday institutional life rather than confined to student programs alone.

Not just involve but inspire:

Mahindra University has developed world-class sports infrastructure that reflects its strong commitment to athletic excellence and participation. A key highlight of this initiative is the Indias First FIFA Quality Certified Football Pitch and a 400-meter running track inside the campus along with other indoor and our door sporting facilities. Such state-of-the-art facilities not only motivate students, faculty and staff to actively engage in sports but also strengthen alumni connection reinforcing a sustainable and aspirational sporting culture on campus. Every effort is a testament to the universitys unwavering commitment to fostering a vibrant sporting culture and providing world-class sports facilities to its students.

An active club for each sport:

To give a wide range of choices to students, faculty and staff, we have more than 16 active sports clubs at Mahindra University, led by students and mentored by faculty members. Catering to 100s of intra and inter university sports events where the nations sports enthusiasts are invited and honoured.

At Mahindra University, sports are viewed not as a matter of regulatory compliance or a peripheral activity, but as a deeply embedded institutional culture ingrained in the very fabric of the university. This cultural approach ensures that physical activity and sport are woven into everyday campus life, influencing attitudes, behaviours, and shared values across the university community. When sport is internalized at this level, participation becomes voluntary, inclusive, and sustained rather than obligatory. Such an environment fosters a sense of belonging, collective identity, and well-being, encouraging students, faculty, and staff to embrace sport as a lifelong pursuit. By transcending compliance-driven models, the university cultivates a vibrant sporting ecosystem that supports holistic development, resilience, and balanced living, thereby reinforcing its broader educational mission.

We continue “To educate future citizens for and of a better World”