Guwahati/Shillong, July 20: Fans of Shillong Lajong FC have joined 31 million fans of sports clubs and teams across India who have formed the Indian Olympic Fan Army, an initiative by MPL Sports Foundation, to give the Indian Olympic team its own fan group.
MPL Sports Foundation is the Principal Partner of the Indian Olympic contingent to the Tokyo OIympics.
While Indian sports clubs and teams have historically had their own fan bases, the Indian Olympic team, which has brought glory to the nation on the highest stage of world sports, has never had any fan army.
The Indian Olympic Fan Army will be a 31 million fan base of some of India’s most celebrated sports teams across India.
Shillong Lajong joins an illustrious group that include two-time IPL Champions, Kolkata Knight Riders; Real Kashmir FC; FC Goa, the ISL League champion (2019-20) and Gokulam Kerala FC, the current I-League champion. Fans of Ultimate Table Tennis and Cricket Fauj are also part of this massive fan base.
“It is a matter of great honour and privilege for us at the MPL Sports Foundation that all of these illustrious clubs, franchises, and fan groups have come together to make India’s first Olympic Fan Army. We will rally behind our athletes as they seek to make the entire nation proud at Tokyo. Here’s to our heroes,” said Sai Srinivas, Trustee, MPL Sports Foundation, and Co-founder and CEO, Mobile Premier League. As Tokyo remains out of bounds for spectators and keeping in mind the covid restrictions in India, this will be a virtual fan movement.
There are various activities planned including a call out to the entire fanbase to become fans of the Indian Olympic team, know them, watch their events and cheer for them. A large engagement exercise has been planned with the fans submitting their fan moments through photographs and videos.
Humans of Bombay, the online project that captures untold stories of people, have been roped in, to make the fans know the Indian athletes.
They are producing stories that will tell the fans the untold stories of our champion athletes like weightlifter Mirabai Chanu, hockey captain Rani Rampal, Archer Deepika Kumari, hockey player Lalremsiami, Fencer Bhavani Devi and shot putter Tajinder Singh Toor.
