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Polo for the masses, not just the classes

Though we have reached a threshold in socio-economic development, the game of polo still remains a “hobby of the affluent” and is kept out of the reach of the common man. There is still a long road ahead for the aspiring polo players and many in the capital obviously find it hard to nurse the faintest idea of Indians competing at the international stage, for the game is quite expensive.

The players at the Jaipur Polo Ground here, however, sound quite positive and are gradually taking the game forward to turn it into an established sporting event in the country. “Earlier, the game was only restricted to the top-ranking Army officers, the royals and the rich. Now, a number of clubs are there where people from sober background can join and play the sport. Lots of people are getting into riding these days,” said a team member of 61 Cavalry.

As you make your way from the neatly numbered brick-paved footpaths of the Race Course Road leading to the polo ground, over half a kilometre of barren stretch of land follows, almost crying for maintenance. But the lush green sprawling ground with horses manned on its perimeter and a footfall of around 600 spectators, wearing hats, ascot ties and sunglasses is what awakens your sense of wonder. There is no dress code in particular but it is as if expected from the crowd to wear a specific set of attire.

The game is a showcase of pure skills and strength, and how well you can speak to the horse. There can be initial flush of excitement for the first-time watchers as they witness players striking a cricket-sized white ball with a long-handled mallet into the opposing team’s goal post.

Besides a bevy of army and former military personnel, attendees also included school children and according to the Superintendent of Army Polo and Riding Club, Prakash, they regularly attend the games as they are not “ticketed.”

“Participants nowadays are spread across age spectrum. Children are participating and doing well in the sport. Schools these days also have riding facilities,” the team member said.

However, when The Sunday Guardian spoke to Delhi Public School principal Manohar Lal, he denied having any horse-riding facility in the school premises. Anit Bahutay, a member of Managing Committee from Sanskriti School, echoed similar sentiments, denying having any such facility.

Rishi Garg, a former student from IIT-Delhi, said, “We availed facilities like cricket, basketball, football, but horse-riding was never a part of our extracurricular activities.”

Although the sport has somewhat remained relatively unknown to the commoners, a gradual progression is being made to popularise the game. “The idea for us is not to make money but to play and publicise the game. Here, there is no entry fee and no charges, anyone can walk-in,” he added.

“To take it to the masses, we are starting the Arena League which will be televised and will reach out to the people and they will realise what the game is. They will get to know the players, and subsequently the game will grow. That’s what the endeavour is… to spread the game to the masses. People will start playing eventually when they see it,” he said.

So much so that the Indian Polo Association and Pro Sportify Ventures have announced the Indian Arena Polo League, starting September 2019 in the presence of the chief of Army staff, President of IPA, Gen. Bipin Rawat. Meaning budding polo players and equestrians will now be able to watch the match sitting on their couch at home.

Speaking at the launch, Mr. Kartikeya Sharma, Founder and Promoter, Pro Sportify Ventures, said “Polo in India has been synonymous with royalty, Patrons of Polo across the globe will now have a chance to own Polo teams in the IndiaPolo League and be a part of a new emerging sports and lifestyle business.”

Asked how injury-prone the sport is, owing to the third party (horse) involvement in the game, the 61 Cavalry team member said, “The game is very fast-paced one. There are collisions between the horses at times. Sometimes, it becomes difficult to control them. So, at times, it is dangerous because of the speed and the animal involved and you can’t control them all the time.”

Commodore Aspi Cawasji, NM, VSM, said, “Polo is being promoted nationally by the India Polo Association and its president happens to be the Chief of Army Staff. It is an ancient game and remains the preserve of the Army, but there are a lot of civilian polo clubs that have joined in now and taking the game forward.”

To infuse love for any game, a sense of what happens on the field has to be inculcated from a very early age. Cawasji agrees, saying it’s important to tap the potential of youth.

Asked what advice he would like to give to youngsters, he said, “First, you have to be a good equestrian. To get an opportunity to do horse-riding, I wouldn’t say that it’s an elite opportunity but certainly where horses are being maintained by the organisations… either the top corporate houses or the armed forces… one could get opportunity there.”

“About 50 children from a government school were invited to witness this just to give them an exposure because it is seldom seen on TV. It was a great move where a common child can witness the game. It was a great opportunity to not so privileged children. Some of them might even get inspired,” he said.

Source: The Sunday Guardian

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ProSportify Ventures and Indian Polo Association launch Indian Arena Polo League

India’s fastest-growing sporting company ProSportify Ventures, in collaboration with The Indian Polo Association, launched the first edition of the official Indian Arena Polo League at the British High Commissioner’s Polo Day 2019, on 6 December at the Jaipur Polo Grounds, New Delhi.

The Indian Arena Polo League will have eight teams competing with each other inside an arena on grass as the league gets shown in HD TV and broadcast live across the world on premiere sports channels, namely Star Sports Select HD 2, Star Sports Select 2 and Hotstar and Pay TV to reach out to a wide fan base across the globe.

At the British High Commissioner’s Polo Day, the League played its first exhibition match and introduced the arena on grass format which is a shorter format of the game, the fast-paced and exciting blend of professional polo with both Indian and international players.

Owned and promoted by some of the Indian industry’s legendary names like Naveen Jindal who owns the Delhi team, Gujarat team owned by the Adani Group, Jaipur by Dinesh Pandey, an NRI businessman based in Singapore, these teams will handpick their players at an auction slotted for January 2020.

Co-Founder and promoter Kartikeya Sharma is also the force behind the Indian Badminton League, Pro Wrestling League, and Indian Boxing League. The Polo League, like all other leagues, will add a professional edge to the game historically played by royalty across the globe. Col. Tarun Sirohi, a former Captain of the Indian Polo Team and Commandant of 61 Cavalry, is helming this project as the Co-Founder.

Kartikeya Sharma, Founder & Promoter, Indian Arena Polo League, said: “After having built a successful league for a mass sport like wrestling, I am really excited to foray into the other end of the spectrum, the super-luxury side. Polo is an Indian sport and I am really confident that it will attract the right team owners, sponsors, and viewers on TV. Its Polo time!”

The league aims to showcase the fast, exciting and accessible nature of the sport for viewers and patrons alike. The new Arena on Grass format is made for TV and will be played on weekends and under floodlights. Fans will get an up-close and real feel of the action while watching the game from stands close to the action.

Col Tarun Sirohi, ex-captain, Indian Polo Team & Co-Founder, Indian Arena Polo League, said: “We are going to fill the void created by the exit of F1 in India with a Lifestyle experience having fashion, glamour and after parties centered around the exciting sport of polo.”

On the occasion of the British High Commissioner’s Polo Day 2019, the British High Commissioner to India, Sir Dominic Asquith, said, “India, with the cricket IPL, has shown how innovative it can be in the sporting field. I’m looking forward to seeing the shorter, faster format of the game played out today at the annual British High Commissioner’s Polo Day and I will follow the league with interest.”

The League fixtures will be played in a round-robin format and will have 28 matches across four consecutive weekends, starting 14 February 2020. Each franchisee will have top professionals from India and international playing for each of the teams. A team squad will comprise six players with four Indian and two international players. The on-field playing team will have three players from the six member squad with rolling substitutions to ensure that the matches move at a rapid, nonstop pace.

There will be prize money of Rs 3.5 crore, making it the richest polo league in the world.

The first season of the league will be played at the Jaipur Polo Grounds Delhi and Rambagh Polo Ground, Jaipur.

Source: The Sunday Guardian

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Indian Polo Association and Pro Sportify Ventures to Launch Indian Arena Polo League

The Indian Polo Association and Pro Sportify Ventures will launch the Indian Arena Polo League, starting September 2019. 

On the occasion of the Cavalry Gold Cup, Chief of the Army staff, President of IPA, General Bipin Rawat and the QMG Lt. Gen Amre, Chief Steward and Vice President of IPA met Kartikeya Sharma, Founder and Promoter of Pro Sportify ventures and jointly made this announcement. During the ceremony, the Chief of the Army Staff, President of IPA, Gen. Bipin Rawat handed over the ceremonial Arena Polo ball to Sharma to signify that now Pro Sportify Ventures will carry it forward.   

The Indian Arena Polo League will be played between 6 teams in the arena polo format which is a short format of the game and will showcase the fast paced and exciting blend of professional polo, there will be both Indian and International players participating in the game. The arena polo format is a shorter form of polo with small ground, colored clothing and played with bigger sized balls. The Polo league will be an ideal mix of sport, fashion and lifestyle.

Speaking at the launch of India Polo League, Col. Ravi Rathore, VSM, Honorary Secretary from Indian Polo Association said, “We are happy to announce the Indian Arena Polo League, we have been working closely with Pro Sportify Ventures, as they have been doing a stellar job in growing and promoting professional sports in India. This will be another feather in their cap and I congratulate Mr. Kartikeya Sharma for its vision, passion and commitment.” 

Speaking at the launch, Kartikeya Sharma, Founder and Promoter, Pro Sportify Ventures, said “Polo in India has been synonymous with royalty, Patrons of Polo across the globe will now have a chance to own Polo teams in the India Polo League and be a part of a new emerging sports and lifestyle business.”

Source: everythingexperiential

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Kartikeya Sharma owned Pro Sportify to launch Indian Arena Polo League

Kartikeya Sharma, Founder and Promoter of Pro Sportify and ITV Media Network will be launching the Indian Arena Polo League later this year. Sharma introduced Pro Sportify in 2015 as a local sporting initiative. The aim of this program is to strengthen the level at which sports and athletics are being played in India.

The latest announcement was made on the occasion of the Cavalry Gold Cup where the Chief of Army Staff, President of IPA, General Bipin Rawat and the QMG Lt. Gen Amre, Chief Steward and Vice President of IPA met Sharma and jointly made this announcement. During the ceremony, the Chief of Army staff, President of IPA, Gen. Bipin Rawat handed over the ceremonial Arena Polo ball to Sharma to signify that now Pro Sportify Ventures will carry it forward. 

The Indian Arena Polo League will be played between 6 teams in the arena polo format which is a short format of the game and will showcase the fast-paced and exciting blend of professional polo, there will be both Indian and International players participating in the game.

The arena polo format is a shorter form of polo with a small ground, colored clothing and played with bigger sized balls. The Polo league will be an ideal mix of sport, fashion, and lifestyle.

Speaking at the launch of India Polo League, Col. Ravi Rathore, VSM, Honorary Secretary from Indian Polo Association said “We are happy to announce the Indian Arena Polo League, we have been working closely with Pro Sportify Ventures, as they have been doing a stellar job in growing and promoting professional sports in India. This will be another feather in their cap and I congratulate Mr. Kartikeya Sharma for its vision, passion, and commitment.”

Speaking at the launch, Kartikeya Sharma, Founder and Promoter, Pro Sportify Ventures, said, “Polo in India has been synonymous with royalty, Patrons of Polo across the globe will now have a chance to own Polo teams in the IndiaPolo League and be a part of a new emerging sports and lifestyle business.”

Source: exchange4media

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प्रो स्पोर्टीफाई को इंडियन एरेना पोलो लीग की जिम्मेदारी

नई दिल्ली, 11 फरवरी (आईएएनएस)| भारतीय पोलो संघ और प्रो स्पोर्टीफाई इस साल सितम्बर में संयुक्त रूप से इंडियन एरेना पोलो लीग का आयोजन करेंगे। इस करार की घोषणा सेना प्रमुख एवं भारतीय पोलो संघ (आईपीए) के अध्यक्ष जनरल बिपिन रावत, लेफ्टिेंट जनरल एवं आईपीए के उपाध्यक्ष अशोक आम्ब्रे और प्रो स्पोर्टीफाई के संस्थापक एवं प्रोमोटर कार्तिकेय शर्मा ने एक संयुक्त बयान में की।

यहां आयोजित कैवलरी गोल्ड कप के मौके पर आईपीएल के अध्यक्ष जनरल बिपिन रावत की मौजूदगी में एरेना पोलो बॉल में इस करार की घोषणा की गई।

इंडियन एरेना पोलो लीग में कुल छह टीमें हिस्सा लेंगी। एरेना पोलो का छोटा स्वरूप है जिसमें पोलो का अपेक्षाकृत छोटा ग्राउंड, बड़ी गेंद और रंगीन कपड़ों का इस्तेमाल किया जाता है, जिसमें इस खेल की तेजतर्रार गति प्रोफेशनल रूप में दिखाई देगी।

लीग में भारतीय खिलाड़ियों के अलावा अंतरराष्ट्रीय खिलाड़ी भी भाग लेंगे। पोलो लीग में स्पोर्ट्स फैशन और लाइफस्टाइल का अद्भुद संगम देखने को मिलेगा।

इंडियन पोलो लीग के लॉन्च के अवसर पर आईपीए के मानद सचिव एवं विशिष्ट सेवा मेडल प्राप्त कर्नल रवि राठौर ने कहा, ” मैं इस कदम के लिए कार्तिकेय शर्मा की दूरदर्शिता खेल के प्रति लगाव और समर्पण के लिए उन्हें बधाई देता हूं।”

इस अवसर पर कार्तिकेय शर्मा ने कहा, “देश में पोलो का खेल ठाठ-बाठ का पर्याय रहा है और अब इसके संरक्षकों को इंडिया पोलो लीग में अपनी टीम खरीदने का अवसर मिलेगा। यह खेल देश में तेजी से उभरते खेल और लाइफस्टाइल बिजनेस के रूप में सामने आ रहा है।”

इस समय आईपीए के साथ देश भर में 35 क्लब जुड़े हुए हैं, जिनमें कुल 450 खिलाड़ी हैं और उनमें भी सौ से ज्यादा पेशेवर खिलाड़ी हैं। आईपीए अंतर्राष्ट्रीय पोलो संघ से सम्बद्ध है। अब आईपीए और प्रो स्पोर्टीफाई मिलकर इस लीग को आयोजित करेंगे और आईपीए लीग को संचालित करने के लिए अधिकारी मुहैया कराएगा।

Source: The Quint