IOC Session 2023: Revisiting Nita Ambani’s journey with global sports body

File image of Nita Ambani. Photo by: Sandeep Shetty / ISL/ SPORTZPICS

Mumbai is set to welcome some of the most powerful individuals in global sport with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Annual Session set to take place in the ‘Maximum City’ starting Sunday.

Reliance Foundation Founder Chairperson Nita Ambani has played a key role in getting the IOC session, which takes place from 15 to 17 of this month, back on Indian soil after four decades; the last time it took place in this part of the world was all the way back in 1983 in New Delhi.

She has been at the forefront of championing India’s potential in building India as a sports powerhouse and shining the spotlight on India. Mrs Ambani is the first Indian woman to become a member of the IOC after getting elected into the same in 2016, and she has since demonstrated a deep and unwavering commitment to strengthening India’s contribution to the Olympic Movement.

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Bringing new perspective and skills to the organisation, Mrs Ambani has been appointed to several IOC Commissions since her election as an IOC Member: Olympic Channel (2017-present), Olympic Education (2017-present), and Culture and Olympic Heritage (2020-present).

Reliance Foundation remains committed to empowering athletes from the grassroots to the elite stage.

As a result, 11 out of 19 Reliance Foundation athletes have won medals at this year’s Asian Games, comprising nearly 13 percent of India’s total medal tally. From 17-year-old Palak Gulia who bagged a gold in the women’s 10m air pistol event and was part of the 10m air pistol women’s team that won a silver medal — to Lovlina Borgohain and Kishore Kumar Jena who secured their tickets to Paris Olympics 2024, along with bagging silver medals.

Read | Nita Ambani’s special message ahead of IOC Session in Mumbai

The Reliance Foundation is also working with partners to create a world-class sporting ecosystem from the ground up across football, athletics, and school and college sports — nurturing a passion for sports at the grassroots; creating platforms for scouting and developing sporting talent; improving the quality of training and infrastructure; providing national and international opportunities; and ultimately, enhancing athletes’ performance to help them excel at the highest levels of global sport, all the way to the Olympics.

Since its inception, Reliance Foundation’s sporting initiatives have reached 22 million youngsters across the country.

Nita Ambani’s journey with the IOC

Nita Ambani’s election as an IOC Member represents the organisation’s endeavor to seek candidates from outside Olympic Movement stakeholder groups (e.g. International Federations and National Olympic Committees), in an attempt to usher in a fresh approach and new skills to the organization.

Nita Ambani is part of the following Commissions:

Olympic Channel (2017-present)

This commission provides guidance on the operation of the Olympic Channel and advises on its growth and development. The Olympic Channel is an OTT service operated by the IOC that seeks to maintain year-round interest in the Olympic Movement, by showcasing the Olympic athletes and competitions outside of the Games.

Olympic Education (2017-present)

This commission advises on the promotion of Olympic values-based education and provides strategic direction on IOC programmes and activities related to the education of youth through sport.

Culture and Olympic Heritage (2020-present)

This Commission advises on activities of the Olympic Movement related to culture in the broadest sense; art, history, focus on values, academic research and patrimonial collections, with a view to promoting the Olympic ideals as widely as possible, especially among young people all over the world.

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