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Pune Inc | Developed by two champions, this app is giving children playing sports a winning edge

The SportsSkill app, where one can upload videos of children playing, provides real-time insights, multiple training facility support, and personalised analytics.

4 min readPuneSep 2, 2025 04:24 PM IST

Abhinav Sinha and Chetan Desai, founders of SportsSkill. (Express photo)

At 15, Pune-based squash player Anika Dubey is blazing a formidable trail. She is a three-time national junior squash champion with an Asian Junior Team Championships under her belt. On August 30, National Sports Day, the Maharashtra Government felicitated Dubey at an event at the Balewadi Stadium. Among those cheering her on were members of SportsSkill, a sports performance tracking app she has been using to improve her skills.

“We used to travel a lot for Anika’s training to Mumbai as she was being coached by Abhinav Sinha, a former international squash player who coached the Indian team for the World Junior Championship in 2019 and the British Junior Open in 2020. When Abhinav co-founded the SportsSkill app, we started using it. After that, Anika and I did not need to travel to Mumbai all the time. She used to practise in Pune and upload her videos on SportsSkill, based on which Abhinav used to make comments.

It becomes easier for us,” says Divya Dubey, Anika’s mother.

The app, which is equipped with features such as performance tracking, goal setting, progress monitoring, rest-and-recovery tracking, and community engagement, provides real-time insights, multiple training facility support, and personalised analytics. “It is suitable for all skill levels and keeps athletes motivated and informed,” says an official statement of the company.

The other co-founder of the company, which was launched in 2021, is Chetan Desai, a former ATP-ranked tennis player with a career high of 310. He says that parents today are paying for two things mainly: academics and sports. While online reports inform them of a child’s academic performance and shortcomings, it is not happening in sports.

“A coach who typically manages 50 -60 children does not know how to keep track of all their performances in one particular place. SportsSkill, where one can upload videos of children playing, becomes an effective tool in not just giving information but tracking progress. It keeps a record of the data that is required over the period of the life cycle of that particular athlete,” says Desai.
“The tool helps the coach to get better, the coaching system to get better,” adds Sinha.

SportsSkill is active in five -six sports, though it covered 12-14 sports during a summer camp in a stadium.

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The company works on a business-to-business model, reaching out to schools, clubs, and academies. “They buy the subscription for their users. Then, the communication between the coach and players starts happening on the app,” says Sinha.

The Government, too, is encouraging a culture of sports in the country. Among the mottos of the Khelo India initiative is to inspire young talent, give them top-notch infrastructure, and training of the highest level.

“We need to inculcate a strong spirit of participation in sports that enables players to demonstrate their true potential. Only then can India realise its dream of becoming a sports superpower,” says Sinha.

Sinha says that people have become “very, very serious about sports”. “They are getting their children in a formal training method, unlike 20 years back, when parents used to just send them down to play. As a result, a lot of children are in sports classes. Parents are spending on sports. Even in Tier Three cities, people have started taking sports very seriously. We are at the stage where we decide, ‘how do you make sure they stay interested and you guide them well?’,” he adds.

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While SportsSkill has been downloaded more than 1,000 times, a challenge for companies such as theirs is the traditional mindset. Many coaches prefer the tried-and-tested method of watching over children and making notes. “We have met a few coaches who were quite progressive. They were using a few advanced tools, like video analysis and basic spreadsheets. But the majority of the people are not tech-savvy. So that was one of the issues we faced,” says Sinha.

Now, the app is going international. It recently completed a small camp in the US with David Palmer, a two-time world squash champion. “We gave him the SportsSkill app. He used it for six weeks and was quite happy. This was our first small pilot. We want to grow slowly and steadily,” says Sinha.

Dipanita Nath

Dipanita Nath is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. She is a versatile journalist with a deep interest in the intersection of culture, sustainability, and urban life. Professional Background Experience: Before joining The Indian Express, she worked with other major news organizations including Hindustan Times, The Times of India, and Mint. Core Specializations: She is widely recognized for her coverage of the climate crisis, theatre and performing arts, heritage conservation, and the startup ecosystem (often through her "Pune Inc" series). Storytelling Focus: Her work often unearths "hidden stories" of Pune—focusing on historical institutes, local traditions, and the personal journeys of social innovators. Recent Notable Articles (December 2025) Her recent reporting highlights Pune’s cultural pulse and the environmental challenges facing the city during the winter season: 1. Climate & Environment "Pune shivers on coldest morning of the season; minimum temperature plunges to 6.9°C" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on the record-breaking cold wave in Pune and the IMD's forecast for the week. "How a heritage tree-mapping event at Ganeshkhind Garden highlights rising interest in Pune’s green legacy" (Dec 20, 2025): Covering a citizen-led initiative where Gen Z and millennials gathered to document and protect ancient trees at a Biodiversity Heritage Site. "Right to breathe: Landmark NGT order directs PMC to frame norms for pollution from construction sites" (Dec 8, 2025): Reporting on a significant legal victory for residents fighting dust and air pollution in urban neighborhoods like Baner. 2. "Hidden Stories" & Heritage "Inside Pune library that’s nourished minds of entrepreneurs for 17 years" (Dec 21, 2025): A feature on the Venture Center Library, detailing how a collection of 3,500 specialized books helps tech startups navigate the product life cycle. "Before he died, Ram Sutar gave Pune a lasting gift" (Dec 18, 2025): A tribute to the legendary sculptor Ram Sutar (creator of the Statue of Unity), focusing on his local works like the Chhatrapati Shivaji statue at Pune airport. "The Pune institute where MA Jinnah was once chief guest" (Dec 6, 2025): An archival exploration of the College of Agriculture, established in 1907, and its historical role in India's freedom struggle. 3. Arts, Theatre & "Pune Inc" "Satyajit Ray, Ritwik Ghatak were not rivals but close friends, says veteran filmmaker" (Dec 17, 2025): A deep-dive interview ahead of the Pune International Film Festival (PIFF) exploring the camaraderie between legends of Indian cinema. "Meet the Pune entrepreneur helping women build and scale businesses" (Dec 16, 2025): Part of her "Pune Inc" series, profiling Nikita Vora’s efforts to empower female-led startups. "How women drone pilots in rural Maharashtra are cultivating a green habit" (Dec 12, 2025): Exploring how technology is being used by women in agriculture to reduce chemical use and labor. Signature Style Dipanita Nath is known for intellectual curiosity and a narrative-driven approach. Whether she is writing about a 110-year-old eatery or the intricacies of the climate crisis, she focuses on the human element and the historical context. Her columns are often a blend of reportage and cultural commentary, making them a staple for readers interested in the "soul" of Pune. X (Twitter): @dipanitanath ... Read More

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