MUMBAI: Australia’s famed state of Victoria has begun implementing its ‘India Strategy’ which involves six key sporting activities in which the state and India are involved equally, ANI reports.
Linda Dessau AC, governor of Victoria, is on her second visit to India within one year as a Guest of Honour and confirmed these initiatives such as the Australian team participating in the upcoming Deaf ICC World T20 in Gurugram, the introduction of ‘Aussie Rules’ football programs in Mumbai, Coimbatore and Ooty featuring 3000 Indian children in October, the launch of the Australian Sikh Games in Melbourne in April 2019 and Cricket Australia’s documentary trailer soft launch which will showcase the history of rivalry between Australia and India’s cricket teams in December 2018.
However, it is tennis’ first Grand Slam of the calendar year that kickstarted the partnership in New Delhi on Monday. A month after Infosys’ approved digital partnership with the Australian Open for the next three years, the Grand Slam has come to India for the first time as a ‘Trophy Tour’ of sorts with the country being the first stop.
Tennis Australia, the organizers of the Australian Open conducted a ‘Global Ball Kids’ program in association with one of its top official sponsors, Kia Motors in the capital city. The program which will enable 1000 young people in Indian schools and sporting clubs to participate in a training camp, with up to ten selected to represent India at the tournament in January 2019 in Melbourne.
In a tweet, the tournament thanked the Asian Tennis Federation, All India Tennis Association and the Delhi Lawn Tennis Association for hosting the launch at RK Khanna stadium.
Kia Motors has been associated previously in such an initiative for the FIFA World Cup in Russia earlier this year as two Indian children got the opportunity to travel for the competition as its ‘Official Match Ball Carriers’ after winning a nationwide talent hunt.
On the other hand, another Australian Open sponsor, Mastercard tweeted that it presented the tournament’s men’s and women’s championship trophies in an event in the city featuring Mahesh Bhupathi and Asian Games 2018 bronze medalist, Ankita Raina.
