New Delhi, July 21 (IANS) Six-time Grand Slam winner and former World No. 1 in women’s doubles Sania Mirza, six-time World Champion and Olympic bronze medallist MC Mary Kom and actor Rannvijay Singha have joined ‘Play Sports’ as brand ambassadors.
Play Sport’s objective is to create a sustainable sports eco system in India by working with schools, developing sports, managing sports infrastructure, running academies and scouting talent from grassroots.
Talking about her association, Sania Mirza said that Play Sport’s unique feature of developing sports curriculum for schools prompted her to join the initiative.
“Play Sports aims to improve the sports infrastructure and training facilities at schools and societies in Delhi NCR and Jaipur in the first phase and then take it to the entire country. They are also involved in upgradation of existing sports infrastructure at schools and where there is none to develop playgrounds of various sports. Play Sports also provides equipment support and develops sports curriculum for schools. This prompted me to join them and give back to the game that gave me fame and global recognition,” Saina Mirza said.
“The 2036 Olympics will be held after 12 years and Play Sports aims to prepare the next batch of Olympians by scouting talent from schools and providing them proper training and equipment support,” added the Padma Bhushan and Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna recipient.
Mary Kom, often hailed as ‘Magnificent Mary’ for her tenacity and mental strength as a boxer, is super excited to join Play Sports as it gives her the opportunity to nurture young talent.
“As an athlete who has seen the transformative power of sports first hand, joining Play Sports as a brand ambassador was a natural choice for me. The vision of Play Sports aligns perfectly with my own commitment to nurturing young talent and promoting sports across India. One of the main reasons I was inspired to join Play Sports is their focus on grassroots development,” said the 41-year-old, who won the 2014 Asian Games and 2018 Commonwealth Games gold medals.
Mary Kom, who won the bronze medal in women’s boxing flyweight (51kg class) at the London 2012 Olympics, feels such initiatives align with honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of hosting the 2036 Summer Olympics in India. Modi aims to make India a top-10 sporting nation by 2036 and for that mass participation is required by the country’s youth.
“India’s dream of hosting the 2036 Olympics is a vision that reflects the country’s growing stature on the global stage and its deep commitment to the development of sports. This ambitious endeavour symbolises India’s desire to showcase its rich cultural heritage, technological advancements, and burgeoning sports infrastructure to the world. Initiatives like Play Sport will help the country fulfil PM Modi’s vision and act as a springboard for youngsters to make a name for themselves at the world stage,” Mary Kom said.
–IANS
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