If someone had told the younger me that I’d be winning the Best Thesis Award in a global sport management program, I wouldn’t have believed them. Sports were always a part of my life, something I loved, something that kept me moving but not something that was ever considered a real career path in my family. I decided to go into physiotherapy instead, combining my passion for movement with my interest in science.
Before joining DTM, I was a physiotherapist at Holy Family Hospital, treating local athletes to recover from injuries. One day, while casually scrolling through social media, I saw a post from a senior about the Dream Together Master (DTM) program which made me curious about sport management. At the same time, I kept hearing my athlete patients complain about the gaps in the sports industry, how things were mismanaged, and how opportunities were lost before they even began. It got me thinking: maybe this was something worth exploring. Before I knew it, I was filling out application forms, a little uncertain, but excited for whatever was ahead.
Even though I saw firsthand the struggles athletes faced, but I lacked any real-world experience working within sports organizations. This lack of exposure fueled my research curiosity and ultimately led me to my thesis topic: ‘South Asian DTM Alumni Knowledge Transfer to Home Countries: Challenges and Success Stories.’ I wanted to explore how knowledge and experiences gained in South Korea could help transform sports in underrepresented regions and whether such degrees open doors in the rigid sports structures of South Asia.
The thesis journey was an intense but rewarding experience. One major challenge was narrowing my focus; I wanted to include every fascinating insight but had to learn the art of refinement. Research isn’t just about collecting data; it’s about telling a story that matters. And if I had more time? I’d have loved to dive deeper into how innovative ideas from DTM alumni are being received and implemented or ignored back home.
My thesis journey was anything but linear. When I was settling into my research, I had to make an unplanned trip to Pakistan due to my mother’s health. While family always comes first, the setback was tough. Upon my return, my classmates had already moved forward; they’d finished gathering data, whereas I was still rushing to line up interviews. It was a stressful time, but I worked late into the night, pushed through, and even with that setback, I finished my thesis early.
Graduating from DTM is bittersweet. The program was more than just classes; it was about forming bonds with people from all over the world, class discussions on sports policies, and pushing our boundaries. I’m going to miss the dynamic learning atmosphere, the sense of community, and of course the excitement of discovering South Korea a country that became my second home.
Now that I am done with my degree, I aim to work towards the development of sports at the grassroots as well as work for programs that facilitate the empowerment of para-athletes. It will be the best of both worlds for me i.e. physiotherapy and sport management. Be it through policy-making, rehabilitation projects, or using sport as a tool to bring about change, I want to contribute to creating spaces where everyone has the opportunity to reach their full potential, irrespective of disabilities.
By Kiran Fatima(11th Batch)
