Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma take part in “Let There Be Sport” event

Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma took the city of Bengaluru by surprise with a one-of-a-kind and spontaneous consumer-facing event organised by PUMA India as part of its “Let There Be Sport” platform. The two brand ambassadors made an unannounced visit to a co-working space and a residential complex to promote adoption of sports and fitness culture into everyday lives, thereby creating a citywide buzz.

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At the co-working space, Kohli and Sharma entered a meeting in progress and motivated employees with on-the-spot fitness challenges. They visited Mantri Espana, a premium residential space in Bengaluru, and spontaneously teamed up to play a friendly mixed doubles badminton match against two lucky residents from the society.

The entire gamut of action was set in motion earlier in the day, when the couple dropped in at the PUMA India head office to interact with its employees. A host of activities were organised, including rapid-fire questions and games. The two also spoke at length about the role of sports and fitness and its necessity to be a life routine in an in-depth tête-à-tête with Abhishek Ganguly, Managing Director of PUMA India and Southeast Asia.

Abhishek Ganguly, Managing Director of PUMA India and Southeast Asia, commented:

“Sports and fitness must be integrated into our culture, curriculum and everyday lives as a valuable and critical life skill. As a brand, PUMA constantly creates fresh and offbeat ways to connect, engage and inspire audiences in a deeper way. Our event today brought Virat (Kohli) and Anushka (Sharma) and consumers up close and personal. Virat and Anushka are youth icons and their on-the-spur interactions today will create awareness and encourage people of all ages to take up sports and fitness.

“As a leading sports brand in the country, it is our responsibility to create a purpose-driven platform such as Let There Be Sport to further the development of sports and fitness culture that India has witnessed in the last 5-10 years. We have received a great response for the initiative so far and we hope to achieve our goal of building a fit India.“

Virat Kohli said:

“Sports has to be an integral part of everyone’s life. I’m glad that PUMA recognised the need and came forward wholeheartedly to highlight the importance of making it an essential just like other necessities. It was great fun taking time out from our schedules to interact with locals and crashing a meeting at the co-working space to get employees to do fitness challenges. I hope many will be motivated and inspired today and take up sports and fitness as a life skill.“

Anushka Sharma added:

“PUMA’s Let There Be Sport campaign was the need of the hour. There should be equal importance given to sports in schools and colleges because pursuing sports at a young age will keep you fit in the longer run. It was wonderful taking up these fitness challenges and interacting with the people of Bengaluru where I have spent a significant amount of my growing years. I also thoroughly enjoyed playing a spontaneous badminton match with Virat and the residents today.“

PUMA India launched the “Let There Be Sport” platform after an exclusive study conducted with Nielsen Sports revealed India’s lack of inspiration and participation in sports and fitness. Questioning the conventional mindset that sports is a digression from academics, “Let There Be Sport” promotes adoption of sports in everyday life and as a valuable skill in the main educational curriculum rather than just an extra activity.

Under this initiative, Kohli also recently took part in the “Let There Be Sport” conclave along with ace footballer Sunil Chhetri. The duo spoke about the need for sports and fitness while sharing inspirational stories from their respective journeys. The conclave streamed the latest 90-second digital film by PUMA India, which features its brand ambassadors Kohli, MC Mary Kom, Chhetri, Avani Lekhara and Bhagwani Devi alongside everyday athletes.

Reinforcing the idea that only sports hold the power to transcend socio-economic and gender barriers to unite people on a single platform, PUMA India has begun a much-needed movement with the #LetThereBeSport campaign to motivate people to take up sports and physical activities.