Exploring an Integrated Sportsperson Lifecycle Framework for Mental Health, Physical Well-Being, and Career Sustainability in India

India’s rapid expansion of organized sports has improved participation and elite performance outcomes. However, athlete welfare systems remain fragmented, with limited integration between mental health support, physical well-being interventions, educational pathways, and long-term career security mechanisms.

This White Paper proposes an integrated sportsperson lifecycle framework that conceptualizes athlete development as a continuous process spanning grassroots participation, elite competitive performance, and post-career transition. Drawing on policy analysis and evidence from the Indian sports ecosystem, the framework positions mental health, physical well-being, and career sustainability as interdependent dimensions.

The paper examines national initiatives such as the Draft National Sports Policy, Khelo India, and the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS), and identifies key gaps in mental health integration, injury prevention continuity, insurance coverage, and post-career security—particularly for athletes operating outside top-tier professional leagues.

It proposes policy-oriented recommendations including institutional integration of mental health services across training environments, standardized welfare and insurance frameworks, dual-career education models, and structured transition pathways beyond active competition.

This lifecycle-based approach supports the development of a resilient, inclusive, and sustainable sports ecosystem in India—one that recognizes sportspersons as long-term stakeholders whose well-being is central to national sporting ambitions.