After conquering the hearts of millions of hockey lovers in India, Sahara
India Pariwar, a leading Indian business conglomerate and “World’s Largest
Family” joins hands with Federation Internationale de Hockey (FIH) to become
its 4th Global Partner. In a three year deal, which is expected to be
finalised by the end of this month, Sahara India Pariwar will join FIH’s
three global partners, BDO International, Rabobank and Samsung. As one of
Global Partners of FIH, Sahara India Pariwar will get branding opportunities
at major FIH tournaments, up to and including the Men’s and Women’s World
Cups in 2006 and title rights to the 2005 and 2006 Champions Trophies and
2005 Champions Challenge.

Established with founder members BDO International and Rabobank at the
beginning of 2003, the Global Hockey Partnership began as a sponsorship
consortium of up to four partners. Samsung joined the partnership in August
last year and with Sahara, the consortium has now reached its maximum number
of places for its first term of 2003-2006. The Global Hockey Partnership
has enabled FIH to develop a central, global sponsorship of major hockey
events for the first time in its history.

Revenue from the Global Partners sponsorship will directly benefit host
organisers of FIH’s major events and will also be used by FIH to improve the
events quality and profile, by enhancing spectator facilities, TV production
and youth activities.

Sahara India Pariwar, sponsor of both national Indian cricket and senior &
junior hockey teams, has taken various initiatives for the promotion of
sports in India, for which it also received the prestigious FICCI Annual
Award 2002-2003 for “Outstanding Corporate Sports Initiative”.

On this momentous occasion the Managing Worker & Chairman of Sahara India
Pariwar, Shri Subrata Roy Sahara said, “Hockey is the national game of
India. We would do everything possible within our parameters to bring back
the glory of this game, within our nation as well as internationally. We
want to see the national game of India prospering worldwide. This
significant deal with FIH will not only help us promote hockey as a game
globally but will also go a long way in promoting Indian hockey globally.
This is a very positive step towards a brighter future of hockey”.

Mr. Henk Westerlaken, director of Global Hockey Partnership, commented, “I
am delighted that the initial success of the Global Hockey Partnership has
been capitalised upon, with the consortium now reaching full strength. I
look forward to welcoming SAHARA personally and to working with them to
assist hockey’s promotion and worldwide development”.

FIH President, Els van Breda Vriesman, commented, “This is another huge step
for the promotion of world hockey. Sahara India Pariwar’s involvement as a
Global Partner demonstrates hockey’s ability to attract the backing of major
multi-national organisations throughout the hockey world. Coupled with the
resurgent enthusiasm in Indian hockey, with their qualification at Madrid to
the Athens Olympics, the addition of a major Indian corporation to the
hockey’s Global Partnership can only strengthen hockey’s renaissance in
India”.

The sponsorship was brokered by S.S. Dasgupta, Managing Director of India
based sports marketing agency, Leisure Sports Management (LSM). On this
occasion Mr. S.S. Dasgupta said, “Sahara India Pariwar, over the years, has
grown not only to become a top company in India but also one of the very
best in the whole world. As part of their global outlook Sahara now join
hands with FIH. We at LSM feel proud to have played a significant role in
this tie-up”.