Promoting and sponsoring Indian para-athletes is the need of the hour: Gurmeet Singh

Aushim Khetrapal, Chairman Shirdi Sai Baba Foundation, Para Athlete Sundar Singh Gurjar, Gurmeet Singh, CMD, Johnson Controls Hitachi Air Conditioning India, and Para Athlete Yogesh Kathunia at a press conference on Wednesday.

• Johnson Controls-Hitachi Air Conditioning India’s Para-Athlete Stars shine at Tokyo Paralympics and other international events, securing a total 19 medals for India
• Nurturing the future of Paralympic Sports in India and aiming for Gold at Tokyo Paralympics 2020, the company partnered with Shirdi Sai Baba Foundation’s initiative the ‘Radiant in Quest of Gold’ project in 2017~
•  Johnson Controls-Hitachi Air Conditioning India’s Paralympic stars- Sumit Antil (Javelin Throw), Yogesh Kathunia (Discus Throw) and Sunder Singh Gujjar (Javelin Throw) secured Gold, Silver, and Bronze Medals for India
• Paralympics winners to make their first feature film screen guest appearances in CHAL JEET LEIN YE JAHAN” 

Rakesh Thapliyal

New Delhi: With the Tokyo Paralympics Stars giving joy to over 160 crore Indians across the globe, a unique initiative ‘Radiant in Quest of Gold’ of Shirdi Sai Baba Foundation (SSBF), powered by Johnson Controls-Hitachi Air Conditioning India Ltd. also played a critical role in bringing joy to people. This unique initiative was launched in 2017 with the idea to secure gold for the country at the Paralympics 2020 and usher in a new era of the para sports revolution in India. Under ‘Radiant in Quest of Gold’ campaign, Johnson Controls-Hitachi Air Conditioning India undertook sponsorship of 10 Para athletes who had achieved significant success at national and international games, but majorly focused on winning medals in the Tokyo Paralympics 2020. The astounding success of this initiative is reflected in 3 out of 10 of our sponsored players shining at the Tokyo Paralympics- Sumit Antil winning Gold medal, Yogesh Kathuniya winning Silver medal and Sundar Singh Gurjar winning Bronze medal. It has also paved way further for the promotion of Para sports in India.

Altogether, the 10 para-athletes sponsored under this campaign have secured total 19 medals in the last 3 years for India at various International platforms like Asian Para Games, World Para Grand Prix, Tokyo Paralympics etc. which is a huge achievement for the country.

This was a part of the company’s CSR initiative and focussed on empowering the differently abled sections of the society. To make a constructive contribution towards the training and development of the sportspersons, company’s CSR team vetted the athletes’ past performance and potential before undertaking this CSR initiative. The sponsorship included support for training, diet, counselling sessions, kit, travel for participation in national and international competitions, and other peripherals.

Sumit Antil, winner of gold in the F64 Men’s Javelin Throw at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics said, “It is time that people and even brands in India actively start participating in supporting and fuelling the popularity of para-games and para-athletes. Our Paralympics Stars have ushered a new chapter of Para Sports fame and success in India at the Tokyo Paralympics and the day is not far off when every Indian Paralympics player will return home with gold.”

The company is really proud of these para-athletes who brought home victory from the Tokyo Paralympics 2020 and is giving its high-end premium 5-Star room air conditioners and monetary gift to these winners as a token of appreciation.

Rakesh Thapliyal, Editor-in-Chief khel Today magazine presenting latest issue to Shri. Gurmeet Singh.

Addressing the media at a gala event to felicitate the Paralympics winners, Mr. Gurmeet Singh, CMD, Johnson Controls-Hitachi Air Conditioning India Ltd. said, “Being a socially responsible company, we strongly believe in our responsibility to give back to the society. Promoting and sponsoring para-athletes is the need of the hour and a great way for brands to not only support India in fostering an inclusive world but also contribute to taking India’s Para Sports leadership on the global stage. It is indeed a moment of pride for us and the entire nation that a unique CSR initiative that commenced in 2017, achieved spectacular results for Indian Para Sports at not only national, but also international levels.”

The inspiration behind starting this campaign was a small initiative to sponsor the National Para Games’2017 in Jaipur by Shirdi Sai Baba Foundation with the Paralympic Committee of India. All the Paralympics winners of the Johnson Controls-Hitachi Air Conditioning India powered ‘Radiant in Quest of Gold’ project would be making their first feature film screen appearance in “Shirdi Sai Baba” fame actor Aushim Khetarpal’s “CHAL JEET LEIN YE JAHAN” as guest appearances. The film is the first feature film on Para Cricketers who won the Physical Disability World Cricket Series 2019 in England. It is produced by Whistling Train and Aum Sportainment Pvt. Ltd., and it is directed by Vikas Kapoor. The film gets released next year.

“Shirdi Sai Baba” fame actor and Chairman of Shirdi Sai Baba Foundation, Shri Aushim Khetarpal said, “A small step to sponsor the India – Afghanistan Divyang cricket series at Noida led Johnson Controls-Hitachi Air Conditioning India Ltd. to take up this initiative ‘Radiant In Quest of Gold’ with 10 Para Athletes. The idea was not only to support them financially but to be a mentor and motivate them to bring Gold to the country. To inspire more and more divyang people to adopt Para Sports at an early stage, an 11 episodes series ‘Mission made Possible’ has been shot with these athletes on their life history, their trials, tribulation agony and victory.”

Johnson Controls – Hitachi Air Conditioning India Limited is the manufacturer of India’s one of the leading air-conditioning brand ‘Hitachi Cooling and Heating’. As a part of its CSR activities, the company has been  running various projects at state and national level, covering the ambit of health, sanitation, education, skilling of rural youth, safety and empowerment of women and differently-abled.

About Johnson Controls-Hitachi Air Conditioning India Limited:

Johnson Controls-Hitachi Air Conditioning India Limited is a joint venture company of Johnson Controls, US, and Hitachi Appliances, Japan. Through this joint venture, we have combined the rich heritage and innovative technology of Hitachi with industry-leading expertise and a global network of Johnson Controls. The partnership is aimed at addressing the cooling needs faster, smarter, and much more efficiently than ever before. Our customers will stand to benefit from our world-class R&D centres, where our researchers work tirelessly to provide innovative solutions and quality products that are designed to meet every expectation. Johnson Controls – Hitachi Air Conditioning Company has a global presence, out of which India unit is called “Johnson Controls-Hitachi Air Conditioning India Limited”

Johnson Controls-Hitachi Air Conditioning India Limited manufactures a wide range of products under the Hitachi Cooling & Heating brand, such as room air-conditioners (Split & Window ACs) to commercial air-conditioners including Chiller, Cassette Air conditioners, Ductable air-conditioners & VRF systems. Our company is not just limited to making air conditioners but also, into trading of Refrigerators.

Johnson Controls-Hitachi Air Conditioning India Limited’s headquarter is situated in Ahmedabad, Gujarat with a manufacturing plant in Kadi, Gujarat. Johnson Controls-Hitachi Air Conditioning India Limited is amongst the top air-conditioning companies in India.