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hurlinghampolo.com
TA L K
RAJ KUMAR SINGH
A L E A G U E O F T H E I R O W N
Polo in India is breaking from tradition and undergoing a vibrant and glamorous
transformation to attract new audiences to the game, writes Vikram Rathore
Intricately woven into the culture of India,
the game of polo has been played in this
part of the world since ancient times, so it is
no wonder that the country is often referred
to as ‘the home of polo’.
Historically, the sport has mainly been
played and enjoyed by royalty and the
military and has been heavily dependent
on royal patronage. But Indian businessman,
polo player and patron Chirag Parekh is
seeking to change all that, by founding the
Champions Polo League – his smart vision
to reinvent the royal sport and bravely
rewrite its rulebook, to make it more
accessible and entertaining for spectators.
His plan involves adding huge helpings
of entertainment and glamour, to create
a truly thrilling and memorable experience
that fans can enjoy with family and friends.
It’s hoped this fresh approach will attract
new spectators to polo across India, and
spark a resurgence of interest in the game.
‘Let’s take this regal sport from its
isolation and make polo more diverse and
accessible to a wider audience,’ says Parekh.
‘We’ve gone back to the drawing board and
changed some things around to increase the
appeal of polo to the younger generation
without compromising on the real essence,
spirit and foundation of the sport.’
The Gujarat Polo Cup took place from
7–9 April in Bhavnagar – a fast-developing
industrial town in Gujarat, north of Mumbai.
It was organised as a precursor to the
Champions Polo League, to give spectators,
sponsors, promoters, partners, broadcasters
and players a glimpse of what is in store.
The stadium was full to capacity (10,000),
which was especially impressive as the
tournament was on at the same time as
the Indian cricket Premier League.
All the leading Indian polo players
competed, including Shamsher Ali, Simran
Shergill, Samir Suhag, Dhruvpal Godara,
Basheer Ali, Gaurav Sahgal and HH Maharaja
Padmanabh Singh of Jaipur, alongside the
leading English player Richard Le Poer and
Leroux Hendriks from South Africa.
Spectators witnessed a grand polo treat,
with six teams of three players each and
three polo games on each day of the
