Gandhinagar, August 28: Gujarat has launched a state-level ‘Sports Genomics Program’ aimed at adding a scientific dimension to athlete development. The initiative seeks to understand the genetic, physical, and performance-related traits of its athletes.
Under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership, the country has adopted an evidence-based approach to sports science, athlete identification, and high-performance training. Arjun Modhwadia, Gujarat’s Minister of Science and Technology, stated, “Under the guidance of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, the Gujarat Biotechnology Research Centre (GBRC) is spearheading this initiative. The goal is to integrate genomics with sports science, physiology, and nutrition to create a more scientific and evidence-based method for identifying sports talent.”
Gujarat is the first state in India to implement a Sports Genomics Program. Scientists at GBRC have begun collecting samples from athletes participating in various sports. The first batch of samples was collected from tennis players associated with the Gujarat State Tennis Association (GSTA). The next batch will include athletes from archery, fencing, judo, and shooting, under the ‘Vijayi Bharat Foundation’. A total of 2,000 samples are planned to be collected this year.
This initiative is also crucial for Gujarat’s preparations for the 2030 Commonwealth Games. Scientific athlete profiling can help identify and prepare athletes capable of competing at national and international levels. Sports genomics is an emerging field that studies the relationship between genetic variations and athletic traits, such as muscle composition, endurance, metabolism, exercise response, recovery, and injury susceptibility.
The proposed program acknowledges that performance in sports is not solely determined by genetics. Training, coaching, nutrition, infrastructure, social support, and other environmental factors also play significant roles in athlete development. P. Bharti, Secretary of the Science and Technology Department, explained, “Traditionally, talent identification has been based on physical measurements, coaching assessments, and performance during trials. Gujarat’s proposed model aims to include genetic and biological information in this process, providing a more comprehensive view of an athlete’s potential.”
Bharti further mentioned, “The program proposes to study traits related to power, endurance, injury risk, and the body’s response to exercise, along with nutrigenomics, lifestyle genomics, personality traits, and circadian rhythms.”
Digi Vijay Singh Jadeja, Mission Director of the Gujarat State Biotechnology Mission, highlighted that a key component will be whole-genome sequencing of talented athletes, particularly those associated with endurance, power, and other sports categories. Researchers will aim to identify and validate genetic markers linked to athletic performance and investigate genetic factors related to injuries sustained during sports.
The program plans to screen top athletes from various sports, proposing whole-genome sequencing and analysis of about 2,000 samples annually, accumulating a total of 10,000 samples over five years.
Included sports range from athletics, swimming, boxing, wrestling, judo, taekwondo, gymnastics, and fencing to team sports like football, hockey, handball, volleyball, and basketball, as well as badminton, table tennis, lawn tennis, kabaddi, and kho-kho. Precision and skill-based sports such as archery, shooting, and chess are also part of this extensive plan. Athletes of different age groups, including those under 14, between 14 and 18, and over 18, will be included. State and national champions will be prioritized, allowing for a detailed study of the genetic and physical traits of high-performing athletes.
A significant outcome of this initiative will be the proposed Gujarat Athlete Genome Database (G-AGD), which will integrate genetic, physical, and performance-related information, creating a long-term scientific resource for athlete profiling and future research.
The program also envisions discovering personalized training and nutrition strategies using genomic information. Since athletes may respond differently to exercise, training loads, recovery, and nutrition, combining genetic information with physical and performance data could aid in developing more individualized athlete development programs.
Proposed outcomes include genetic profiling, evidence-based talent identification, injury risk assessment, improved recovery strategies, and personalized training and nutrition programs. Bioinformatics analysis may also be utilized to develop genotype-based performance prediction models.
However, scientists involved in the project emphasize that this program does not claim that a single “sports gene” determines an athlete’s success. Performance in sports is complex, influenced by numerous genetic and environmental factors. Therefore, the aim is to use genetics as part of a broader framework for athlete evaluation.
This program could further strengthen Gujarat’s position in the field of sports biotechnology. A major objective is to establish the state as a “Sports Biotechnology Innovation Hub,” linking its biotechnology capabilities with sports science and the development of elite athletes.
GBRC already possesses the scientific infrastructure for sample processing, sequencing, and data analysis, including the Novaseq 6000 and Gridira systems.
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