Jaipur: Polo, traditionally known as the sport of Kings, will be seen in a new avatar with the launch of India’s First Official Polo League in Jaipur city today. With the league mooted for opening chukkas in March 2017, Polo is set to join India’s love for shortened format sports. Brainchild of Mr. Chirag Parekh, a Gujarat-based industrialist and polo patron, the grand launch was attended by crème de la crème of the country including royal families and celebrities.
The Polo League will witness participation from key polo players across the globe along with their Indian counterparts. Keeping the essence of the sport intact, the matches will be played in a brand new format that has not been played before. The league will have six teams participating in its inaugural season with four players in each team. It will be played in a flood lit polo ground. The auction for the players will be held in January 2017.
Commenting on the launch, Mr. Chirag Parekh, Founder of Polo League, said, “My feeling when I first got on a horse to play Polo was ‘what will happen if I fall from this horse’. But the thrill of sitting on the horse and playing is amazing. Today, I feel proud to have reached a stage where I have overcome that fear, learnt the sport and am able to provide a platform to all Polo lovers and enthusiasts across the world. It is an emotional moment for me as I announce this Polo League. It has not been a journey that I have traversed alone, the whole fraternity has shown full support. I am grateful to everyone and I hope that all of us together can take the sport of Polo to newer heights with this league.”
As part of the grand celebration, a lot of on-ground activities are planned for the day. A private exhibition polo match was also scheduled for the afternoon to give an experience of the game to the guests. The launch will be concluded with a gala dinner at Sujan Rajmahal Palace amongst the eminent guests like the royal families of Jaipur, Jodhpur and Udaipur along with famous Bollywood celebrities Saif Ali Khan, Harshwardhan Kapoor and beauty pageant winners Roshmitha Harimurthy(Miss Diva Universe India 2016) and Rashi Yadav(Miss Earth India 2016).
