- Sports Icon graces Chiripal Group’s Foundation Day celebrations as Chief Guest
- Honours winners and achievers of Chiripal Sports Fest 2024
- The Chiripal Sports Fest is a true celebration of collective strength, teamwork, and the relentless pursuit of success: Ronak Chiripal, Promoter, Chiripal Group
NE SPORTS BUREAU
AHMEDABAD, OCT 20
Renowned sports icon and international badminton player Saina Nehwal on Friday emphasised the need for more league matches at the local level to promote sports like badminton. The secret of my stamina is that I used to run for 30 minutes before and after every training session, she said.
Chiripal Group, a diversified conglomerate headquartered in Ahmedabad, celebrated its Foundation Day on Friday, October 18, 2024, with renowned sports icon and international badminton player Saina Nehwal gracing the occasion as Chief Guest. The Foundation Day celebrations also served as the felicitation ceremony of the recently concluded Chiripal Sports Fest 2024, where winners from seven different sports, along with special achievers, were honoured.
The event took place at the expansive campus of Shanti Business School (SBS) in the Shela area of Ahmedabad. The Chiripal Group’s promoters Vedprakash Chiripal, Jyotiprakash Chiripal, Jaiprakash Chiripal, Brijmohan Chiripal, Deepak Chiripal, Vishal Chiripal, Ronak Chiripal, and Vansh Chiripal were present and shared the stage with Saina Nehwal.
The ceremony featured insightful speeches from the Chiripal Group promoters, reflecting on the company’s journey, its growth over the years, and its vision for the future.
Ronak Chiripal, Promoter, Chiripal Group stated, “Over the last 52 years, the journey of Chiripal Group has been one of resilience, innovation, and relentless pursuit of excellence. From humble beginnings, we have grown into a diversified conglomerate, driven by a passion to create value across industries. As we celebrate this milestone, we reflect on the dedication of our people and the trust of our partners that have brought us this far. Looking ahead, our vision remains clear: to continue pushing boundaries, embracing sustainable practices, and fostering a culture of innovation that will empower us to thrive in the dynamic future.”
Ronak Chiripal engaged in a candid conversation with Saina Nehwal during the Foundation Day celebrations. Nehwal shared valuable lessons, personal anecdotes, and stories from her illustrious and inspiring badminton career.
An Open House was also held as part of the celebrations, where Nehwal interacted enthusiastically with Chiripal Group employees, offering insights from her career and experiences.
Speaking with the media, Nehwal talked about her journey on that she began badminton at the age of nine, which she believes is a good age to start, though girls in other countries often begin even earlier.
“I give all the credit to my parents for their support, particularly my mother, who was passionate about sports and always believed I could defeat players from Korea and China,” she said.
Nehwal discussed how she maintains her stamina by running for 30 minutes before and after every training session, emphasising that sticking to this routine is key.
Acknowledging the gap in the women’s category in Indian badminton, she said, “I am still optimistic that it will be filled soon with better coaches, more agile players, and a “never give up” attitude.”
Talking about the pressure faced by players in key tournaments like Olympics, Nehwal said, “One always faces pressure when in key tournaments. But it is important to perform well. Players must learn to handle game pressure over time. Apart from a good infrastructure in sports, having the right mix of coaches, trainers and physiotherapists is equally important.”
Additionally, Nehwal emphasised the need for more league matches at the local level to promote sports like badminton, as these matches help people understand the game and how players perform.
Finally, she noted that while India has enough sports infrastructure, there is a need for more trained coaches, trainers, and physiotherapists to support not just international-level players, but also younger and junior athletes.
Nehwal also felicitated the winners and achievers of the Chiripal Sports Fest 2024, which took place from September 21 to October 5, 2024. The event featured competitions in seven sports—badminton, table tennis, carrom, cricket, swimming, running, and chess—with more than 500 employees from various Chiripal Group companies participating.
“The idea behind organizing the Chiripal Sports Fest was to foster team spirit among Chiripal Group employees while recognizing and celebrating their achievements in sports. After the tremendous success of this inaugural edition, we plan to continue this initiative in the coming years to strengthen camaraderie and build strong interpersonal bonds within the organization. The Chiripal Sports Fest is a true celebration of collective strength, teamwork, and the relentless pursuit of success,” said. Ronak Chiripal, Promoter, Chiripal Group.
