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Keeping Spirits High

Sahara India Pariwar's much fabled celebration of the spirit of sports is rooted in its unwavering belief that sports must be used as an enabling medium to serve the cause of fostering better relations between people and nations. According to Saharasri, “if we see the history in the olden days, there used to be regular fights and wars all over the world. I strongly feel that human beings have a very strong competitive instinct in them and they all want to get satisfaction out of that particular instinct. Probably that was the reason why people used to fight, there used to be war heroes and in every area there used to be a war hero. I strongly feel and you shall all agree, that gradually sports took over, and have given solace and satisfaction to that competitive instinct. In my opinion, if you talk about the peaceful co-existence of human society, sports has played a huge role, but it has taken its own time”.

Sahara India Pariwar sponsored Indian Cricket Team from year 2001 to 2013.During Sahara's sponsorship period, Indian Cricket Team won prestigious trophies like - ICC Champions Trophy (2002), ICC World Twenty20 Trophy (2007), Asia Cup (2010), ICC Cricket World Cup (2011) and ICC Champions Trophy (2013). Sahara also officially sponsors Asia's oldest football league – The Calcutta Football League, the Senior Indian Hockey Team since the year 2003, and has patronized the annual 'Sheesh Mahal Tournament’ that is one of the premier and the oldest summer cricket tournaments of India. It has also been the official partner to the Indian Contingent for the Athens Olympics 2004. Sahara also mobilized its resources to contribute to the success of the Delhi Commonwealth Games, 2010. Sahara has adopted 95 promising individuals from 6 Olympic disciplines, namely Wrestling, Boxing, Shooting, Archery, Track & Field and Tennis until and after the 2012 London Olympics with a view to help India claim more medals in the international sporting arena. The sportspersons who receive our 360 degree support won 42 medals at the Commonwealth Games 2010 and 20 medals at the Asian Games 2010. Sahara’s support to the National Championships of Wrestling, Boxing, Shooting and Archery augers well for the future of these disciplines in the Indian sporting landscape. The enviable portfolio of our sporting initiatives now also includes the adoption of volleyball.

Sahara India Pariwar’s enduring saga of sports promotion is reflected well through its sponsorship of major events – Indian National Hockey Team (Men) from 2003 to 2017; Indian National Hockey Team (Women) from 2003 to 2017; the historic Sahara Cup Cricket at Toronto, Canada in 1996, 1997 and 1998; Sahara India Gold Cup, Indira Gandhi Hockey (Delhi, 1995); World Junior Powerlifting (Delhi, 1995); Asia Cup Tennis (Delhi, 1997); Sahara Uttar Pradesh Sports (Lucknow, 1999); Akhil Bhartiya Table Tennis Tournament (2003); Women Cricket Test Match Series (India Vs. England, 2003); Sahara Bucchi Babu Cricket Tournament (Chennai, 2002, 2003 & 2004);SAARC Inter Airline Cricket Tournament (Kathmandu, 2003); Under-19 One-day International Cricket Series (Nepal Vs. India, 2003); Golf Achievers Cup (2003); Laureus Awards (2003-2004); and Commonwealth Under-19 Cricket Tournament are among the many sporting initiatives launched under the auspices of Sahara India Pariwar. The prestigious Queen's baton of the Delhi Commonwealth Games 2010 were offered a rousing reception by Saharasri during its passage through Lucknow, that bears testimony to our universal vision of sports. Sahara owned a premier team in the IPL- Pune Warriors (2011-2013); and Awadhe Warriors in IBL (2013) and is still owning it in the ongoing PBL since 2016. Sahara India Pariwar owns the'Punjab Panthers' and 'Bombay Bullets' in the Indian Boxing League 'Big Bout' which commenced in 2019.

These sentiments receive a beautiful expression in the words of Hon'ble Saharasri, “Sports is not only an avenue for entertainment or physical or mental exercise, but is perhaps much more than that.


Hon'ble Saharasri with members of Laureus World Sports Academy (from left to right) - Sean Fitzpatrick: Former New Zealand Rugby Captain; Sebastian Coe: Olympic Gold Medallist in 1500m - 1980 & 1984; Daley Thompson: Olympic Gold Medallist in Decathalon - 1980 &1984; Nawal El Moutawakel: Olympic Gold Medallist in 400m hurdles - 1984; Giacomo Agostini: Considered the greatest Grand Prix Motorcycle Road racer of all time; Morne Du Plessis: South African Rugby Captain in 15 Tests, winning 13 of them; Nadia Comaneci: Won 3 Olympic Gold Medals in 1976 and 2 Olympic Gold Medals in 1980; Ian Banner: Co-Founder Laureus World Sports Award; Dawn Fraser: First woman swimmer to win 3 consecutive Olympic Gold Medals in 100m Freestyle - 1956, 1960 & 1964; Michael Johnson: Winner of 4 Olympic Gold Medals and 8 World Championships Gold Medals