Sahara India Pariwar felicitates the Indian Hockey Team for Qualifying for London Olympics

Saharasri Subrata Roy Sahara bestows cash award and gift to the team and support staff in a glittering ceremony at Sahara Shaher. End Quote

(1888PressRelease) March 23, 2012 - Sahara India Pariwar, a major business conglomerate and the prime promoter & patron of sports in India, which had earlier announced a cash incentive of Rs. 1.16 crore to players and support staff of The Indian Hockey Team, today felicitated the team and support staff of Indian Hockey Team by bestowing them with cash award for their brilliant performance in FIH Olympic qualifiers, thus cementing a berth in the London Olympics 2012. The players and support staff were honoured with the award and gifts by Saharasri Subrata Roy Sahara, Managing Worker & Chairman, Sahara India Pariwar in a glittering ceremony at Sahara Shaher Lucknow.

For their outstanding display, Shri Sardar Singh and Shri Sandeep Singh were awarded Rs. 11 lakhs each, while the rest of the team members along with the main coach were given Rs. 5 lakh each for their performance. The support staff also got an incentive of Rs. 1 lakh each. In addition to this, the taxes on the cash awards are borne by the company itself, making the total expenditure incurred by Sahara, to be in tune of Rs. 1.29 crore. Sahara India Pariwar has been the official sponsor of the Indian Men & Women's National Teams (Senior and Junior) since 2003. It had recently, renewed its support to Indian Hockey by announcing to sponsor the Men & Women National and Junior Hockey Teams for a period of 5 years at a 170% increase over the past contract period.

Speaking on the occasion, Saharasri Subrata Roy Sahara, Managing Worker & Chairman, Sahara India Pariwar, said, ""We are delighted with the spirit and commitment that the Indian Hockey Team has shown in the recently conducted FIH Olympic qualifiers. They have made not only us but the entire nation proud. We applaud them for this truly stupendous effort and are highly obliged to honour them for keeping our tricolor held high. This reward is a small token of appreciation from us to encourage the sportsmen and the support staff to achieve greater success and bring laurels to our beloved nation."

Mr. Narendra Batra, Secretary General, Hockey India, who was present for the ceremony said, "It is a matter of great pleasure that Sahara India Pariwar, who is also the sponsor of Men & Women National and Junior Hockey Teams, has felicitated the achievements of the Indian Hockey Team, including the support staff. I am sure this would encourage the sportsmen and the support staff to live upto the expectations of the entire nation and would inspire them to continue playing with the same commitment and zeal that they had displayed during the FIH Olympic qualifiers."

Apart from being sponsor to the Indian Hockey Team, Sahara India Pariwar has played host to the Indian hockey team for their coaching camp for Champion's Trophy - 2003 where boarding, lodging, practice camps and traveling of the entire team was taken care of. Sahara India Pariwar had also joined hands with Federation Internationale De Hockey (FIH) in 2004, the World's apex Body for Hockey, and became the 4th Global Partner of the Federation for a period of 3 years. Sahara India Pariwar also felicitated the entire Indian Hockey Team, including both the players and the officials, on winning the Asia Cup - 2003 for the first time. Each member had been awarded with a cash reward of Rs. 1, 51,000 in a glittering ceremony.

Sahara also rewarded all the players, coach and assistant coach of the Indian Hockey team with Rs. 2 lakhs each as a token of appreciation after India routed Pakistan in their World Cup match in 2010 and has provided for their insurance individually. In the genuine interest of Hockey Players, Sahara India Pariwar paid Rs. 1 crore to Hockey India, for distribution to the players so that they can practice and play peacefully and happily for the Country in 2010 when the players were seriously concerned at their emoluments at a Camp hosted in Pune prior to the World Cup.

The sponsor of Indian Cricket and Hockey (Men & Women National and Junior Hockey Teams), Sahara India Pariwar, has adopted Indian Boxing, Wrestling, Archery, Shooting, Track & Field and Tennis covering support of a total of 95 sportsmen in these 6 games who are potential medal winners, until after London Olympics 2012. The group, in order to uplift sports at domestic and grass root level, supports the legendary Calcutta Football League, Sheesh Mahal Cricket Tournament and many other sports at the national, state and district levels. The group has extended its sponsorship to the Uttar Pradesh senior cricket team which represents the state in Ranji and all other domestic tournaments. Sahara also organises 'The Sahara India Sports Awards' with an intention to bring together all sports, including those which are very popular and also those which are not so popular, together on a common platform to recognize and honour the achievements of Indian sportspersons who have taken the pride of the nation to the highest level and kept the tricolor flying high. The awards are aimed to provide a forum of encouragement to young sporting talents and motivate them to bring laurels to the nation and sports. In addition to this, Sahara has been a major corporate contributor in the preparation and organising of XIX Commonwealth Games 2010. Besides, Sahara Group under its company Sahara Adventure Sports Limited also has the franchise for Pune IPL team. It has recently acquired an equity investment in the Force India Formula One Team, India's only F1 team. The new team is now called, 'Sahara Force India Formula One Team'.

For Further Information, Please Contact:
Ghulam Zeeshan
Asst. Chief Manager, Corporate Communications, Sahara India Pariwar
Ph.: 0522 2304230; Mobile: 9335235621
E-Mail: ghulam.zeeshan ( @ ) gmail dot com

###

space

Other Related Press Releases