India and New Zealand celebrated a century of sporting ties with a landmark rugby coaching programme at the iconic Kalinga Stadium, bringing together elite New Zealand Rugby coaches and Indian rugby mentors for two days of collaboration, learning and cultural exchange.
Held from 20 to 22 May 2026 under the “100 Years of Sporting Ties” initiative, the New Zealand Rugby–India Rugby Coaches’ Programme commemorated the historic relationship between the two nations that began with the Indian Army hockey team’s tour of New Zealand in 1926.
The programme featured leading New Zealand Rugby coaches Allan Bunting, Vania Wolfgramm and Kahu Carey working closely with 35 rugby coaches from across India in a series of practical and technical sessions focused on player development, leadership and high-performance culture.
The opening day began with a session on artificial intelligence in sport delivered by Shankar Sivaramakrishnan, highlighting the growing role of technology in modern sports coaching and performance analysis.
A plenary session followed, featuring addresses from Rahul Bose, Odisha Sports Commissioner and Secretary Bhupinder Singh Poonia, and New Zealand Deputy High Commissioner to India Matt Ayers.
Participants also engaged in New Zealand Rugby’s “He Tangata” philosophy — centred around people, relationships and culture — through the “ko wai ao” connection module, alongside interactive ice-breakers and field-based coaching exercises.
Day Two focused heavily on building world-class high-performance systems, with sessions designed to strengthen coaching frameworks and player pathways in India.
The visiting New Zealand delegation also spent time interacting with young athletes at the KISS Foundation, reinforcing the programme’s broader emphasis on youth development and grassroots sporting collaboration.
Organisers described the initiative as a major milestone in strengthening India–New Zealand sporting cooperation, while also showcasing Odisha’s continued investment in elite sporting infrastructure and international partnerships.
The programme concluded with participants reflecting on the value of shared learning, cultural exchange and rugby’s power to connect communities across borders — setting the stage for the next century of sporting collaboration between India and New Zealand.
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