Sports, Inclusion, and Peace: SDG-16 and India in Perspective

This book manifests the Sport for Development and Peace (SDP) framework propounded by the United Nations (UN), which connects sports to physical activity and human health outcomes through its ability to combat chronic diseases and improve mental and physical health. The UN also considers sports a catalyst for the socialization of children, youths and adults, the social inclusion of the disadvantaged, economic development of local communities, and a means of fostering intercultural exchange and conflict resolution.

This volume is the first effort of its kind that seeks to examine the scope of sports to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 16, particularly in India, by way of promoting peaceful and inclusive societies. As well, it provides a platform for achieving justice for all; building effective, accountable, and inclusive communication between institutions at all levels; and ensuring equality across ethnicity, faith, and sexual orientation in any corner of the globe.

The content of this volume will be of great interest especially to sports enthusiasts, sports event organizers, trainers, management faculty, students, and scholars. In a broader scenario, however, the discussions will be helpful for policymakers to find an alternative avenue of achieving SDG through the management and promotion of sports, not only in India but in many countries in the global south.

Subhasis Sen is an MBA from Jadavpur University Kolkata, M.Phil. from Bharati Vidyapeeth Deemed University Pune and PhD from University of Calcutta in Business Management and presently Professor of Marketing in BITM, Sri Balaji University, Pune. His teaching interests include Marketing Research, Sports Management and Digital Marketing using AI. Dr. Sen has published research papers, case studies and book chapters indexed in Scopus, ABDC and UGC Care. His publication and research interests include Sports Analytics, Sport-For-Development, Attendance Behaviour in Sports Events, Leadership Personality Traits, Social Media Advertising, Digital Inclusion, Digital Storytelling and Quality of Life.  He has participated as Track Chairperson and Paper Presenter in reputed international conferences hosted by IIM Bangalore; Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore; Indian School of Business, Hyderabad; Rosen College of Hospitality, Orlando (USA); and XLRI, Jamshedpur.  He has won awards in Sports viz. Fitness for Freedom Half Marathon organized by Symbiosis International University Pune three times, Inter Collegiate Football Tournament Kolkata. He secured Best Paper Awards in the Marketing Strategy track at SIBM International Conference Pune and Lexicon International Conference Pune. He has conducted Corporate Training for reputed public and private sector companies and promoted Executive Education for SCMHRD Pune. He has successfully guided PhD Scholars. His hobbies include playing lawn tennis, sitar (musical instrument) and singing.

Mukunda Mishra is an Associate Professor of Geography at Dr. Meghnad Saha College. He completed his postgraduate studies in Geography and Environmental Management at Vidyasagar University, where he was awarded the University Gold Medal for securing first position in the merit list. He subsequently earned his Ph.D. in Geography from the same institution. Dr. Mishra’s research orbits around understanding spatial inequalities in human development, regional disparities, and the application of multi-criteria decision-making and predictive modeling frameworks to address complex development challenges. With over fifteen years of field-based research experience across diverse socio-economic contexts in the Global South, he integrates quantitative modeling, spatial analysis, and ground-level empirical inquiry to generate policy-relevant insights. Dr. Mishra is the author of a scholarly monograph and the editor of ten research volumes published by Springer Nature. In addition, he has authored more than thirty peer-reviewed research articles and book chapters in internationally recognized journals and edited collections. He regularly serves as a reviewer for leading national and international journals, contributing to global scholarly discourse in development geography. Beyond research, Dr. Mishra brings substantial academic leadership and institutional development experience. His combined expertise in research, administration, and field engagement positions him as a strong collaborator for interdisciplinary and international research initiatives focused on sustainable and inclusive development in the Global South.

K Rajagopal brings with him a distinctive blend of corporate leadership and academic excellence. A dual Ph.D. holder in Applied Marketing and Human Resource Management, he possesses over three decades of rich professional experience spanning both industry and academia. He has been closely associated with the strategic initiatives that contributed to the prestigious AACSB Accreditation and Re-Accreditation journey of SCMHRD. During his tenure as Deputy Director and officiating Director of SCMHRD, he successfully oversaw several key institutional functions including admissions, academics, examinations, corporate relations, and alumni engagement. An accomplished international scholar, Dr. Rajagopal has authored more than 30 research publications in reputed Scopus, Web of Science, and ABDC indexed journals and has presented over 25 papers at international conferences. His global academic engagement also includes serving as an expert in the Jean Monnet Module under the Erasmus Plus Project in collaboration with the University of Bremen, Germany. With his strong commitment to academic excellence, research, and technology-enabled collaborative learning, Dr. Rajagopal work towards further strengthening SIBM’s vision of bridging academic and corporate world while enhancing institutional efficiency and innovation.

Anjan Chakrabarti is a Professor-Director at UGC Malaviya Mission Teacher Training Centre, The University of North Bengal. Previously, he was an Associate Professor at the UGC Human Resource Development Centre at the University of Burdwan. Before joining Burdwan University, he was an Assistant Professor of Economics at St. Joseph's College, Darjeeling. His research interests are Agrarian Bengal, Development Economics, Mountain Economy, Political Economy and Political History, Sustainable Development, North East India, Gender and Marriage. Economic Development and Employment in Sikkim (2009), Interrogating Development: Perspectives on the Economy, Environment, Ethnicity, and Gender (2017), and Micro Economics and Statistics (2019) are some of his authored books. He recently published an edited volume, "Indigeneity, Development and Sustainability: Perspectives from Northeast India", Springer Nature, 2024, and “Political Economy of Emerging Urban and Peri-urban Spaces in India: A Roadmap Towards Environmental and Social Sustainability”, Springer Nature, 2025. He published more than sixty research articles in national and international journals and edited volumes. He completed nine national and international research projects. He also serves as a visiting Professor in various Indian Universities, including the Indian Statistical Institute, Bangalore. Jadavpur Association of International Relations (JAIR) also awarded him the COVID-19 Warrior Award for his social contribution in 2019. He received the Global Education Leadership and Management Excellence Award from the Centre for Professional Advancement, West Midlands, UK, 2021 and the National Pride Award-2024 from the CKNKH Foundation National Committee, India, in 2024.