Sanmar Tennis
Sanmar has a long standing association with tennis. N Kumar, N Sankar, V Narayanan and Vijay Sankar have in many ways lent their support to the sport and have played a key role in ensuring the success of The Chennai Open and the Tamil Nadu Tennis Association in Chennai.Come January, Chennai takes centre court playing host to the top players in world tennis.
Slowly but surely, this town is getting to be what Flushing Meadows or Wimbledon is to international tennis, getting visibility across the globe – Asia, Europe, Latin America and the US. The Chennai Open 2007 has placed Chennai city on primetime for global viewing. The city’s resources and service providers converge to bring to tennis fans a well-managed tournament, a showcase of teamwork in totality.
Xavier Malisse, 2007 Champion in action , Rafael Nadal, World No.2 at the Chennai Open 2007.
P 13 latinum and Gold sponsors with some players at the inauguration of Chennai Open 2007.
There is no mystery in the history of Chennai’s association with tennis. Chennai has groomed and presented to the world, some top-class players like the Krishnans and the Amritraj brothers. Paes and Bhupati have trained at and transited through Chennai. The SAARC Games hosted in Chennai resulted in the city’s very own world-class sports arena. This initiative by the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu was the turning point. The stage was set to open the doors to international tennis in the heart of Chennai. All that remained were champions and enthusiasts to the cause.
Vijay Amritraj began the serve 12 years ago as president of the Association of Tennis Players (ATP), an international body that schedules tournaments worldwide. He brought together the IMG (a global organisation that sponsors sportsmen and owns some of the ATP tournaments) and the All India Tennis Association. The ITC-
sponsored Gold Flake Open hit the ground to a tepid response in 1997. The tournament, single-sponsor driven, changed hands with the Tatas. The tournament was played at Chennai and the Tamil Nadu Tennis Association’s (TNTA) role was restrained to managing the show.
Scoring the tie-breaker
At a time when garage-based start-ups with innovative business models and global customer base were up for grabs, a 1.8 million dollar price tag for sponsorship of a tennis tournament didn’t translate into substantial returns. The rally for sponsors was on. At the same time, the Chief Ministers of neighbouring states, sensing the branding opportunity, vied to host the tournament in their respective states.
Tennis champions and ardent tennis lovers in Chennai, including M A Alagappan, A Vellayan of The Murugappa Group, N Kumar, and V Narayanan got together; they approached the Tamil Nadu Government to help retain the tournament in the city. N Narayanan, Chief Secretary to the government and Vijay Amritraj also pitched in. The Tamil Nadu Government agreed to be the lead sponsor and partnering a consortium of corporate sponsors, the Chennai Open got to match point. TNTA signed an agreement with the IMG ensuring continuance of the tournament in Chennai for at least five years.
Standing L to R: Anand Amritraj, Leander Paes, S Vasudevan, N Sankar (Past President of TNTA). Seated L to R: V Narayanan, Pat Cash, Susan Mathew, IAS, Apoorva Balaraman, IAS.
TNTA has V Narayanan at the driver’s seat as president. In the past, the tournament featured senior Grand Slam champions who were past their prime. Now the profile of the players at the tournament has changed and the focus is to get players who are potential world champions.
Rafael Nadal won his first ATP title at Chennai and went on to become world No. 2. TNTA’s role has expanded to include sponsor representation and the conduct of the tournament. Narayanan, is well-connected in the corporate world, ensuring a consortium of sponsors. The IMG and ATP connection packs the final punch to the globalisation of Chennai Open. Today the top hundred players participate at the 32 matches in the tournament. With a global telecast, the exposure of the corporate sponsors and the Tamil Nadu Government has been tremendous. Brand Chennai arrived on the global scene with the Tamil Nadu tourism promotions during the telecast.
The beginnings. The very first press conference before the Chennai Open Series 2004. L to R: V Narayanan, Ravi Krishnan, Vijay Amritraj, PWC Davidar, IAS, Member Secretary of SDAT and M P Shankar, Hony Secretary, TNTA.
The economic implications are very encouraging. Tamil Nadu now ranks No. 2 (two notches up from No. 4) in the highest number of FDI in the states. The boost to tourism is yet another score.
Advantage Chennai Open
Through its global exposure Chennai tennis has helped to brand India Inc. Chennai Open scores over other tournaments in its hospitality to the players. Twice voted as the best run ATP tournament by international players,
V Narayanan with Deepak Pandiya, General Manager, Indian Oil Corporation - Tamil Nadu & Pondicherry and State Representative for the Oil Industry.
Chennai Open’s hallmark is the airport to airport care it takes of the players, from customs, immigration, safety, food, transportation, practise schedules to other creature comforts that would set them at ease.
Chennai Open’s hallmark is the airport to airport care it takes of the players, from customs, immigration, safety, food, transportation, practise schedules to other creature comforts that would set them at ease. The presence of the IMG is also a big boost to the sport and the participation of high-ranking players. The event has received a lot of support from various quarters. Mercedes Benz that sponsors several tournaments by itself served as transportation partners providing a fleet of 12 cars for the players to shuttle. Rolex is the offi cial timekeeper at the tournament. The trophy is a unique design specially crafted by a leading jeweller in Chennai. The Airport Authorities of India, Customs, Police, the Government of Tamil Nadu (irrespective of the political lineage), Singapore and Malaysian A irlines and the corporates i n Chennai have ensured t he smooth conduct of the t ournament. Vijay Amritraj has stood as the b ackbone of Chennai Open and is a brand ambassador for the tournament. Chennai is also a good transit point for players bound for the Australian Open which comes close on the heels of the Chennai Open.
M A Alagappan, giving away the runner- up prize to Rohan Bopanna and Prakash Amritraj at the Chennai Open 2006.
Future-scope
Tennis is a gentleman’s game but it doesn’t mean it’s a no show for the grand slam dames. The TNTA is already exploring possibilities of conducting a WTA (Women’s Tennis Association) tournament in Chennai. While one gets to see the wonder boys from the Grand Slams, one still longs for the big daddies and their tennis histrionics. With support from the sponsors, on the cards is a three-day tournament of four to eight senior players and Chennai can look forward to getting thrilled with Sampras, Agassi or Borg.
N Kumar.
Transport Partner - Mercedes Benz.
TATE - Taking Tennis from the Lawns Above
TNTA has at it’s helm the support and participation of corporate leaders in Chennai. Vijay Sankar of The Sanmar Group is a Council Member of the TNTA and serves on the TATE Committee.
TNTA is very active taking tennis to the grassroots level, driving the sport from all directions. TATE (Tamil Nadu Academy for Tennis Excellence) is the coaching arm of TNTA and is also responsible for the conduct of tournaments at the regional and national levels, providing tournament exposure to its players. With three coaching centres at Chennai, it has trained over 400 aspiring young players. TATE is sponsored by eight corporate houses. The ace that TATE serves is that TNTA is the only sporting association in the country with access to the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy (NBTA) at Bradenton, Florida. NBTA is owned by IMG and its alumni includes world champions like Agassi, Borg, Sherapova, Williams sisters, Jim Courier, Sampras and many more.
Every year TNTA picks the top 15 players from across Tamil Nadu and selects five most promising youngsters to be trained at the NBTA for a month. The Tamil Nadu Government, IMG and TNTA sponsor the training, air passage and upkeep of the selected players. TNTA has sponsored two such teams in the last couple of years. The remaining players are given competition exposure at the national and Asian levels.
Standing: Hiten Joshi, Manager, with the team to the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy, Florida, USA.
TNTA is also advancing into the districts and have already covered ten out of thirty districts in Tamil Nadu. In the last few years, Chennai Open from all directions.
TATE (Tamil Nadu Academy for Tennis Excellence) is the coaching arm of TNTA and is also responsible for the conduct of tournaments at the regional and national levels, providing tournament exposure to its players. With three coaching centres at Chennai, it has trained over 400 aspiring young players. TATE is sponsored by eight corporate houses. The ace that TATE serves is that TNTA is the only sporting association in the country with access to the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy (NBTA) at Bradenton, Florida. NBTA is owned by IMG and its alumni includes world champions like Agassi, Borg, Sherapova, Williams sisters, Jim Courier, Sampras and many more.
Every year TNTA picks the top 15 players from across Tamil Nadu and selects five most promising youngsters to be trained at the NBTA for a month. The Tamil Nadu Government, IMG and TNTA sponsor the training, air passage and upkeep of the selected players. TNTA has sponsored two such teams in the last couple of years. The remaining players are given competition exposure at the national and Asian levels.
TNTA in association with the Madras Cricket Club (MCC) and sponsored by Adidas hosts the All India National Juniors Championships which is a national tennis event for the juniors.The Vice President of TNTA, Lakshmi Mahadevan, who is an erstwhile Asian champion runs the UCAL Women’s League. Man, woman and child come under the fold of TATE’s tennis net. TNTA is also advancing into the districts and have already covered ten out of thirty districts in Tamil Nadu. In the last few years, Chennai Open has branded Chennai and Tamil Nadu across the globe and rustled up enough passion for the game nationally and internationally to keep the fever going for years to come.
Anand Amritraj with young trainees at the TATE-MRC stadium, Egmore.
Sanmar - TNTA Tennis League
The Sanmar TNTA City Club League winners. Also seen seated N Sankar (second from the left) and N Kumar (second from the right) and V Narayanan among others.
Wheelchair tennis conducted by the
TNTA in October 2005.
Sanmar rolling trophies and awards given away
by N Sankar at the TNTA Annual Day.
The Sanmar Group was the first sponsor of TATE. With support from Sanmar, young tennis aspirants now have the opportunity to get trained and excel in the sport. Sanmar sponsors the Sanmar Inter-club League Tournaments in the men and veterans categories. TNTA conducts these league matches. With 26 tennis clubs in the city, there has been a great awareness of the sport and the bar is raised to international levels in tennis excellence.
V Narayanan has an unending list of portfolios attached to his name. He is on the board of a host of companies, including The Sanmar Group. His association with Chennai tennis has helped place it on the world map. Here is a brief profi le of a man who has excelled and emerged as numero uno in everything he has touched, from academics to sports to management, he is Mr Perfect Personifi ed.
Calicut born, schooled in Lovedales, Ooty Received Best Outgoing Student Award Stood first in Senior Cambridge Examination (world-ranking) Captain of the cricketing team in school Graduated in Chemistry Honours from Loyola College, Madras Captain of the tennis team, played tennis for Madras University and was a contemporary of Ramanathan Krishnan Started his career with Hindustan Lever Became a serious student of management, went on an exchange program to UK with Unilever to study management Appointed by Cheseborough Ponds, he was the youngest CEO of the fi rst and only American MNC headquartered in Chennai Love for management as a subject got him involved in ACME, which is part of IFMR Dealt with brands for 40 years of his life Great love for debating and public speaking.
Has spoken publicly in all 51 states of the US. Shared the podium for public speaking with Manmohan Singh in Geneva and Narasimha Rao in Spain President of the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce for two years Associated with TNTA for 15 years, President since last seven years.
“Vast opportunities exist today and it is not just IT that is leading the way. The focus of the young generation is not limited to India but it is global.Young managers should look at India as the next super-power in the world and act accordingly.” V Narayanan
The second convocation of the National Institute of Technology (NIT), Tiruchirapalli (the erstwhile Regional Engineering College, Trichy) was held on 23 December 2006. N Kumar, Vice Chairman,The Sanmar Group, who gave the convocation address said that the Group, with its presence in Tiruchirapalli, always looked at the NIT for its corporate leaders.
He said that it was imperative for educational institutions to channel the creativity of students towards manufacturing and help the industry retain talent. He added that to nurture skills, the industry and educational institutions should work together.
R Seshasayee, Chairman, NIT Board of Directors and Managing Director, Ashok Leyland, who spoke on the occasion, said that India is well positioned to script its own future as a knowledge economy and there is no MNC in the world where ‘India Strategy’ is not discussed.
Amidst a lot of cheer, A R Balaji of the Treasury department at Sanmar received a bouquet from R Rangarajan, in celebration of his success at the Great Lakes Institute of Management (GLIM). He topped the Executive MBA program at the GLIM.
The most recent recognition for The Sanmar Group’s socially responsible practices comes with the Greentech Safety Gold Award in the Chemical Sector for the year 2006 to the PVC Plant at Mettur and the Greentech Safety Silver Award 2006 for the Karaikal plant.