New Delhi: India will have its first-ever Olympic Hospitality House in Tokyo during the Summer Games next year. The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and JSW Group announced Thursday a partnership to build the facility.
Many of the Olympic participating countries have their own hospitality houses during the Games but this will be the first time India will be having one to showcase its culture and heritage.
The official India House logo was unveiled by Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju in the presence of IOA president Narinder Batra and secretary-general Rajeev Mehta here Thursday.
“The India House at the 2020 Olympics is an amazing concept. We need a team to produce a sports champion. We have to create the right ambience for our athletes at the Olympics. The India House will represent the idea of India at the Tokyo Games,” said Kiren Rijiju.
Scheduled to be operational from July next year, the India Olympic Hospitality House will be built by JSW on a piece of land of 2,200 square metre area in close proximity to the Games Village and multiple venues in the Ariake region of Japanese capital Tokyo. It will offer a range of activities and experiences for travelling fans and supporters who will be in Tokyo for the Olympics.
Through this initiative, the IOA and JSW hope to cement India’s presence as a significant member of the Olympic Movement.
Running through the duration of the Olympics, the venue will host watch parties, medal celebrations (if any) and meet-and-greet opportunities with the Indian athletes. Traditional Indian sports will be displayed and visitors will also get a taste of variety of Indian cuisine.
A dedicated ‘Athlete Lounge’ for the Indian Olympians to feel at home and access to medical facilities and food will be available on site. A media centre to host travelling Indian media personnel has also been planned in the area.
“The India House is a great initiative and we are pleased that JSW has come on board to showcase our culture and heritage at the Olympics through this Hospitality House. Through this, we hope that the Indian athletes and fans can feel at home in a foreign land during the Tokyo Olympics,” said Narinder Batra.
PTI