MUMBAI, (Reuters) – A brewer, a sugar baron and a cement maker are among the most influential people in Indian sport, according to a recent power list, elbowing out some of the country’s biggest sports stars themselves.
What’s more, the power brokers not only make the rules in India but are also wielding greater influence abroad, from cricket pitches to Formula One tracks.
While iconic batsman Sachin Tendulkar tops the Sports Illustrated list, he is followed by Lalit Modi, chief of the Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket property; Vijay Mallya, brewer and owner of Force India Formula One team, and Sharad Pawar, a sugar baron and president-elect of the International Cricket Council. Others on the list include Mukesh Ambani, head of Reliance Industries the top private company, N. Srinivasan, head of a cement firm and Pawan Munjal, head of Hero Honda Motors.
Sportsmen including world chess champion V. Anand and tennis champion Leander Paes are much farther down on the list.
India has long been witness to the interplay of business and politics in sport, with industrialists patronising domestic cricket and football leagues, and ministers wangling for titles on the numerous boards for various sports in the country.
“Perhaps five years ago, there would’ve been fewer businessmen on that list, but with the IPL and interest in other sports growing, we are seeing more of them step forward,” said Mahesh Ranka, general manager, Relay Worldwide, the sports marketing arm of Starcom MediaVest Group.
“It also provides a way for them to raise their profile, and at the end of the day, it is another business opportunity.”
The mix is getting headier as cricket-crazy India tries to shake off its tag as a one-sport nation, and more befitting its stature as a global economic power, with the confidence of its ambitious businessmen spilling into the playing fields.
