Coca-Cola India announces its first ever partnership with Hockey India, for the National Women's Hockey League

Under Coca-Cola India's #SheTheDifference campaign, the partnership is aimed at the advancement of women's hockey in India.

NEW DELHI, May 7, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Anandana, The Coca-Cola India Foundation, announces its first ever partnership with Hockey India, for the National Women's Hockey League 2024. The 1st Phase of the tournament commenced on 30^thApril, and it will conclude on 9^thMay 2024, in Ranchi, Jharkhand. The domestic league promises an exhilarating showcase of talent and skill.

The National Women's Hockey League features teams that secured top-eight positions in Pune's recently concluded 14^thHockey India Senior Women National Championship 2024. The participating athletes represent various states, including Haryana, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Bengal, Mizoram, Manipur, and Odisha.

In line with Coca-Cola India's commitment to sports, the three-year collaboration underscores its role in positively shaping the sports and gender equality landscape. The partnership also aligns with the company's #SheTheDifference campaign, an initiative to celebrate, uplift, and support women. This strategic partnership aims to elevate women's hockey by tackling essential components, such as providing specialized coaching, the provision of training equipment, nutritional support, and the organization of camps and tournaments to foster growth.

Sporting Ethos, is the implementation partner of the program, offering valuable support for the players to reach their full potential and bring out the best of the Indian sports scene.

Commenting on the partnership, Hockey India President, Dr. Dilip Tirkey, said, "We are thrilled to have Anandana, The Coca-Cola India Foundation, onboard for the inaugural edition of the tournament. I believe this association will not only elevate the stature of hockey as a sport but also of women hockey players, nationally and internationally. This collaboration will be a milestone in raising the bar of sports training and enhancing sports capabilities in India."

Echoing the President's enthusiasm, Hockey India Secretary General, Shri Bhola Nath Singh, welcomed the partnership with Anandana, The Coca-Cola India Foundation. "Our goals are perfectly aligned," he said. "Both Hockey India and Coca-Cola are committed to promoting and developing sports at the grassroots level, particularly women's hockey. We envision the National Women's Hockey League as a strong feeder system for the National team.This partnership is a win-win, and we look forward to a fruitful collaboration in the years to come."

Announcing the association, Rajiv Gupta, Director, The Coca-Cola India Foundation, said, "At Coca-Cola India, we believe in the transformative power of sports to inspire and unite communities. Partnering with Hockey India advances our shared vision of creating a supportive environment for the development of sports and athletes alike. With this, we are proud to sponsor women in sports and contribute to their success on the global stage."

About Coca-Cola India

Coca-Cola in India is one of the country's leading beverage companies, offering a range of high-quality and refreshing beverage options to consumers. The company in line with its vision of 'Beverages For Life' offers a wide portfolio of products which includes hydration, sports, sparkling, coffee, tea, nutrition, juice and dairy based products. In India it's beverage range includes Coca-Cola, Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, Diet Coke, Thums Up, Charged by Thums Up, Fanta, Limca, Sprite, Maaza, Minute Maid range of juices. The Company also offers hydration beverages including Limca Sportz, Smartwater, Kinley, Dasani and Bonaqua packaged drinking water and Kinley Club Soda. Premium products constitute Schweppes and Smartwater. In addition, it offers Costa Coffee range of tea and coffee. The Company is constantly transforming its portfolio, from reducing sugar in its drinks to bringing innovative new products to market.

The Company along with its owned bottling operations and franchise bottling partners has a strong network of close to 4 million retail outlets through which it refreshes millions of consumers across the country. It seeks to positively impact people's lives, communities and the planet through water replenishment, packaging recycling, sustainable agriculture initiatives and carbon emission reductions across its value chain.

Globally together with its bottling partners, The Coca-Cola Company employs more than 700,000 people, helping to bring economic opportunity to local communities worldwide. Learn more at www.cocacolacompany.com and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.

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