Sports nutritionist Kinita Kadakia Patel stressed the importance of correct diet education for aspiring athletes while speaking at the Yuva Kshamata Sports Conclave. Recalling her work with cricketers like Ishan Kishan and Hardik Pandya, she said educating players about food basics, rather than prescribing diets, has helped even small-town athletes become more aware and performance-ready.

Mumbai: Sports nutritionist Kinita Kadakia Patel explained the importance of right diet for aspiring sportspersons during the Yuva Kshamata Sports Conclave, here on Thursday.

Patel recollected her experiences with top Indian cricketers in their formative years.

"I have seen the players from Ishaan Kishan to Hardik Pandya to what they are today. My first conversation with them was about literally not telling them what to eat, but actually educating them what is what. The basics. This is carbohydrate, this is protein, this is fat. Let's just get your basics right. It's taken a decade of education, but today you bring in a player even from a small town who has come. He is more educated and aware," she added.

"And why has that happened? Why is he already coming slightly more educated? Because he is hearing the Virats and the Pandyas talking about their food. And this needs to happen in every sport, particularly, that we as Indians want to promote. And the more the established ones are going to come out there and talk about it, the more the grassroot is going to get excited about it. Because you are not born to be Hardik Pandya. It's a journey. And at some point, somebody has given you that eco system and you have gone from what you said now, from good to great," Patel explained.

She also spoke about the role of the entire eco-system coming together to deliver the results.

"That's how that jump happens. And we all, like a nutritionist, a psychologist, a trainer, an SNC, strength and conditioning movement player, we all play a very small role, but a very critical role that optimizes human performance. And that critical role that we play should be offered at grassroots.

"But from where I am sitting and looking, we need a lot of private entities getting into the show and say, okay, you know what, here we are, this is my vision, this is my goal, these are the athletes I want, these are the sports I am going to promote. And I feel we did it. We did with telechannels."

Patel felt Bollywood and the corporate world could do a lot more to enable the growth and development of Indian sports.

"Mr. Bajaj has a company. We had Kabaddi. The moment Bollywood comes in place, every channel is going to play it, right? So I think we just need a little bit more Bollywood and a little bit more business that needs to come into the Indian sports scenario to bring the grassroot to a much higher level," she added.