Mumbai: Anandana, The Coca-Cola India Foundation has announced its first ever partnership with Hockey India for the National Women’s Hockey League 2024. The first phase of the tournament commenced on 30 April and it will conclude on 9 May 2024, in Ranchi, Jharkhand.
The National Women’s Hockey League features teams that secured top-eight positions in Pune’s recently concluded 14th Hockey India Senior Women National Championship 2024. The participating athletes represent various states including Haryana, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Bengal, Mizoram, Manipur, and Odisha.
In line with Coca-Cola India’s commitment to sports, the three-year collaboration underscores its role in positively shaping the sports and gender equality landscape. The partnership also aligns with the company’s #SheTheDifference campaign, an initiative to celebrate, uplift, and support women. This strategic partnership aims to elevate women’s hockey by tackling essential components such as providing specialised coaching, the provision of training equipment, nutritional support, and the organisation of camps and tournaments to foster growth.
Sporting Ethos, is the implementation partner of the programme.
Hockey India president Dr Dilip Tirkey said, “We are thrilled to have Anandana, the Coca-Cola India Foundation onboard for the inaugural edition of the tournament. I believe this association will not only elevate the stature of hockey as a sport but also of women hockey players, nationally and internationally. This collaboration will be a milestone in raising the bar of sports training and enhancing sports capabilities in India”.
Hockey India Secretary General Bhola Nath Singh said, “Our goals are perfectly aligned,” he said. “Both Hockey India and Coca-Cola are committed to promoting and developing sports at the grassroots level, particularly women’s hockey. We envision the National Women’s Hockey League as a strong feeder system for the National team. This partnership is a win-win, and we look forward to a fruitful collaboration in the years to come.”
Rajiv Gupta director The Coca-Cola India Foundation said, “At Coca-Cola India, we believe in the transformative power of sports to inspire and unite communities. Partnering with Hockey India advances our shared vision of creating a supportive environment for the development of sports and athletes alike. With this, we are proud to sponsor women in sports and contribute to their success on the global stage.”
