Mumbai: On the second day of Goafest 2026 the spotlight shifted to India’s evolving sports ecosystem with ‘New Games, New Gods: India’s Sporting Reset’ in association with The Times of India & Bingo. The session highlighted the rise of emerging sports, changing fan cultures, and the growing influence of new-age sporting leagues in India.
The conversation featured Aditi Chauhan, Former Indian Women’s National Team Captain, Founder – She Kicks; Parvinn Dabass, Founder, Pro Panja League; Rahul Chaudhari, Indian Kabaddi Player; and Sameer Pathak, President, Pickleball World Rankings, The Times Group company. The session was moderated by Anand Narasimhan, Managing Editor, Spl Projects & Senior Anchor, CNN News18.
The interactive discussion brought together diverse perspectives on the evolving Indian sports ecosystem, with speakers highlighting both the challenges and opportunities shaping the industry. Aditi Chauhan, Former Indian Women’s National Team Captain, Founder, She Kicks, spoke about the inspiring journey of her career, while also sharing how football teaches invaluable life lessons through perseverance and discipline.
Parvinn Dabass, founder, Pro Panja League, highlighted the highly entertaining and competitive nature of sports, noting that audiences are naturally drawn to the thrill of competition, with inspiration also drawn from globally successful formats like darts in the UK and Western Europe. Rahul Chaudhari, an Indian Kabaddi Player, engaged the audience with an interactive kabaddi session, while emphasising that kabaddi is a unique blend of multiple sports requiring diverse training techniques.
Sameer Pathak, President, Pickleball World Rankings, The Times Group company, spoke about the rapid growth of pickleball across metro and tier cities, highlighting the excitement around the sport and how its highly experiential and visually engaging nature keeps players coming back. The sessions also witnessed enthusiastic audience participation, with attendees actively engaging with each panelist through interactive sports-led experiences that brought the conversations to life.
