Sahara keep up its promise, heap money on Indian players for London ticket
Lucknow: March 21, 2012: Sahara — which had earlier announced a cash incentive of Rs.1.16 crore to players and support staff of The Indian Hockey Team, in appreciation of winning the Delhi Olympic Qualifier — kept up its words and presented Indian team and its support staff the promised purse.
Sardar Singh and Sandeep Singh were awarded Rs.11 lakhs each (about USD 22500), while other team members and chief coach Michael Nobbs were given Rs.5 lakh each (USD 10,500).
The support staff got an incentive of Rs.1 lakh each. significantly, the taxes on the cash awards were also borne by Sahara, the official sponsors of Indian hockey team. Thus, the booty comes to a mammoth expenditure in the 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.”
Narendra Batra, Secretary General, Hockey India, who was present for the ceremony said, “ 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.”
SHAHARA’S PAST ASSOCIATION WITH HOCKEY:
Played host to the Indian hockey team for their coaching camp for Champion’s Trophy – 2003.
Joined hands with Federation Internationale De Hockey (FIH) in 2004, and became the 4th Global Partner of the Federation for a period of 3 years.
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.
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.
Paid Rs.1 crore to Hockey India, for distribution to the players 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’.