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Indian sporting legends share untold stories on PUMA’s docu-series Let There Be Sport
Mumbai: Cricket icon Virat Kohli admitted that breaking Sachin Tendulkar’s record of 49 ODI centuries would be an emotional moment for him, whereas Indian football team skipper Sunil Chhetri revealed why he thought of giving up on football at the age of 17 as PUMA’s Let There Be Sports documentary series unfolds never-heard-before stories of India’s top sporting legends.
Kohli, who is just three short of equalling Tendulkar’s record of most ODI centuries in the world, when asked about his thoughts on reaching that milestone, quickly said, “It will be a very emotional moment for me”.
The gripping conversation also includes Kohli talking about his childhood memories of playing cricket with older boys and highlighting the importance of sports.
“Sports teaches you some values of life, discipline and planning. It opens up your side, making you a productive person. No matter which profession you are in, the value of playing sports is immense. Don’t make them [students] just play sports, teach them. It is important to teach them small details of what it means to play a sport,” Kohli adds as he further recalls the incident that took off the pressure of studies from him when his school’s vice principal advised him to religiously follow cricket.
Featuring Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, MC Mary Kom, Chhetri, Harmanpreet Kaur and para-athlete Avani Lekhara, PUMA’s six-part docu-series, in association with Disney+ Hotstar, takes a deep dive into journeys of these six sporting greats and also showcases the role and impact of sports and fitness in their lives.
Harmanpreet also shares an incident where she convinced girls from her school to build a cricket team. “I was the only girl playing cricket in the school. So, I went to every class asking girls if they can play cricket so that I can also get to play. That experience taught me a lot of things. Sport teaches you how to handle responsibility and it makes you independent,” Harmanpreet said.
PUMA’s ongoing revolutionary Let There Be Sport movement promotes the integration of sports into the main educational curriculum rather than just an extra activity.
In one of the episodes, football star Chhetri is seen recalling the time he felt leaving the game.
“I still remember we lost one game badly [while playing for Mohun Bagan], we faced a lot of criticism. I called my dad saying this is not for me. I was 17 at that time. We used to play in Delhi but had never experienced such madness and when that happened, I was crying in the bathroom and I thought to myself I won’t be able to do it [play at such level]. I was physically scared,” Chhetri remembers.
“But looking back now, thankfully it happened that time because you understand that this is serious [sport] and incidents like that in sports is why you stay humble,” he further adds.
The docu-series also showcases Yuvraj talking about how a young Indian team added fuel to the Indo-Australia rivalry with fearless cricket in 2007. Mary Kom and Avani also shared compelling stories of their journeys, emphasising the need to give sports more prominence and encouraging Indians to engage in sporting activities.
https://www.hotstar.com/in/shows/let-there-be-sport/1260139825
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Samsung India elevates Aditya Babbar to lead mobile business
Exec takes charge of MX sales and marketing after Raju Pullan’s exit
NEW DELHI: Samsung India has elevated Aditya Babbar to lead its mobile phone business, following the exit of Raju Antony Pullan.
Babbar, who previously served as vice president within the mobile division, has been appointed head of sales and marketing for the MX (mobile experience) business, effective May 1. In his new role, he will oversee the company’s sales and marketing operations for smartphones and related categories in India, reporting to the executive vice president of the MX business.
A long-time Samsung executive, Babbar brings over a decade of experience within the organisation, having held multiple leadership roles across product, marketing and category management. Most recently, he led product marketing and e-commerce for the mobile division, following earlier stints as head of product and marketing and senior director roles.
His career within Samsung Electronics and its India operations has also included responsibilities for flagship devices, tablets and wearables, giving him a broad view of the company’s premium and mass-market portfolio.
Babbar succeeds Pullan, who stepped down from the role, marking a leadership transition at a time when India remains a key battleground for global smartphone makers.
The appointment signals continuity within Samsung’s leadership bench, with an internal candidate stepping up to steer one of its most critical business units in a highly competitive market.
