Sports doctor Dr. Jasmine Chawla believes India’s hosting of the AFC Medical Conference 2015 will play a pivotal role in boosting the development of sports medicine in the country and throughout Asia.

Dr. Chawla is the first medical doctor to have registered to take part in the AFC Medical Conference 2015 which is set to be held in India’s capital New Delhi from April 2 to 4.

With a passion for sport, Dr. Chawla has decided to pursue a professional career within the field, and her association with sports medicine, though not long, has, according to her, been particularly satisfying.

She pursued her post-graduate studies in sports medicine and physiotherapy at Guru Nanak Dev University in the city of Amritsar, in Punjab Province, in 2008. There she had the opportunity to carry out clinical applications with FC Punjab Police players and was team physiotherapist for many official matches.

Her interest in sports medicine grew, before she eventually decided to pursue her doctoral degree in sports medicine with specialisation in exercise physiology and nutrition from the same university.

Apart from doing her doctorate, Dr. Chawla is now a senior research fellow in a project by the Department of Science and Technology at her alma mater.

“I am thankful to the FIFA and AFC for giving me this opportunity to participate in this much awaited educational conference,” she told the-afc.com. “I was not able to participate in the last edition in Malaysia in 2011. So I am eagerly looking forward to having an insight into the galaxy of knowledge of sports medicine.

“Sports medicine in India needs more awareness. Very few organisations offer education in the field of sports medicine. Hence, there is a tremendous scope for the growth and the development of this field in India. As it is still in its early stage, events

(such as the AFC Medical Conference) are much needed as experts from all over the world, enriched with knowledge, will provide an in-depth insight into this field, which is the need of the hour. Hence, it will play a pivotal role in boosting the development of this field in sports sciences.”

She is also optimistic that India’s staging of the FIFA U-17 World Cup 2017, the first time country will have hosted an international football competition, will bring plenty of positives.

“Sports in India needs conceptualising,” she said. “After the Commonwealth Games (in 2010), this will be the second major event India is organising at an international level. This will act as one of the important stepping stones in the growth and development plan of this field in India. I wish the organisers good luck.”

Dr. Chawla is also hoping that one of the medical centres in India will achieve recognition in world football by becoming accredited as a FIFA Medical Centre of Excellence because the nation has resources that can utilised. Currently there are two such centres in Asia – in Doha, Qatar and Melbourne, Australia.

“We need better re-organisation for sports medicine in India,” she said. “The development of sports medicine in India will bridge the gap between knowledge and clinical application that sports medicine offers. Though India has resources, the potential is not being utilised because of a lack of awareness.

A FIFA centre in India will act as a milestone in the growth of sports medicine and will also open more opportunities for the young generation to serve our nation.”

The 5th AFC Medical Conference New Delhi 2015 which will be attended by between 800 and 1,000 delegates from around the world, was officially launched onApril 26 this year.

India will be the fourth country to host the prestigious conference after Malaysia (2011 and 2000), Oman (2005) and Japan (1995).

(Report & Picture courtesy AIFF Media)