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Capgemini sponsors Rugby 7s in India to strengthen its commitment to diversity and inclusion on and off the field

14 Sep 2022

As an associate sponsor of India’s Rugby 7s Women & Girls and the Rugby 7s Men & Boys teams, Capgemini will support the development of the sport across India

Mumbai, September 14, 2022: Capgemini today announced its partnership with the Indian Rugby Football Union (IRFU) in support of India’s Rugby 7s teams. Capgemini is already an official worldwide partner of World Rugby and a major supporter of the game on a global level. The announcement marks yet another step in Capgemini’s rugby story and its commitment towards promoting the agenda of diversity and inclusion through sports. It is however a first for Capgemini in India. Through this initiative Capgemini will play an active role in supporting IRFU’s objective to promote and grow the sport in India.

Commenting on the partnership, Ashwin Yardi, CEO of Capgemini in India said, “At Capgemini the principles of diversity and inclusion are a source of creativity, innovation, and inspiration for us. To further strengthen our commitment, we are delighted to partner with IRFU on Rugby 7s as this marks a new chapter in our association with Rugby and our first entry into sports in India. At Capgemini we are a people business, and this association reflects our core brand values of team spirit and fun, coupled with our commitment to creating inclusive workplaces.”  

Rahul Bose, President, Rugby India said, “The story of the growth of Rugby as a sport in India is a story of diversity and inclusion. Today our women’s program is as strong as our men’s, our outreach to tribal youth in different parts of the country is as deep as in non-tribal areas. Our commitment to spreading the sport amongst underprivileged populations is as sharp as it is to those who live in more fortunate circumstances. Therefore, to partner with Capgemini who uphold the principles of diversity and inclusion, was a natural decision. Their values mirror ours. And it is with their belief and support that Rugby India pledges to a greater commitment to these values on our path to excellence and garnering laurels for the country.”

Sarika Naik, Chief Marketing Officer and Chairperson of Diversity at Capgemini in India added, “Sports bring people together through shared experiences and drive exceptional engagement particularly with the younger audiences. Most athletes in India come from tier 2 and tier 3 cities. Through this collaboration, we aim to give this sport a fillip and make it more mainstream. Our goal is to motivate more people to play the game and thus provide a path ahead to Get the Future They Want. Rugby India’s ‘Get into Rugby’ program is aimed to make the sport accessible to children of all genders and backgrounds. It is perfectly aligned with our core values and the principles of diversity and inclusion that are at the heart of Capgemini.”

Capgemini has a historic connection with rugby and a deep heritage in rugby sponsorship. Its association with the game began with the Group’s late founder, Serge Kampf, a lifelong rugby fan and player.  Capgemini is the first Worldwide Partner to sponsor both World Rugby and most of its major men’s (Rugby World Cup 2023) and women’s international competitions (Rugby World Cup 2021, playing in 2022, and Rugby World Cup 2025), as well as the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series. As World Rugby’s Global Digital Transformation Partner, Capgemini is working with the federation to enhance the digital experience for fans and coaches by applying its market-leading capabilities in data analysis, artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud. The Group is also a Global Partner of the Women in Rugby program aimed at accelerating the development of the women’s game and women’s leadership throughout the sport.

Capgemini is a global company based in over 50 countries. It is present across major rugby heartlands such as England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, France, Italy, Argentina, Japan and Australia, as well as New Zealand, which is due to host Rugby World Cup 2021, which will see the world’s top women’s teams compete in October this year. The Group, which has a major presence in India, will continue to promote the sport for both women and men, across all its international locations.

About Capgemini

Capgemini is a global leader in partnering with companies to transform and manage their business by harnessing the power of technology. The Group is guided every day by its purpose of unleashing human energy through technology for an inclusive and sustainable future. It is a responsible and diverse organization of over 350,000 team members in more than 50 countries. With its strong 55-year heritage and deep industry expertise, Capgemini is trusted by its clients to address the entire breadth of their business needs, from strategy and design to operations, fueled by the fast-evolving and innovative world of cloud, data, AI, connectivity, software, digital engineering, and platforms. The Group reported in 2021 global revenues of €18 billion.

Get the Future You Want |  www.capgemini.com.

Capgemini in India comprises nearly 185,000 team members working across 13 locations: Bangalore, Bhubaneswar, Chennai, Coimbatore, Gandhinagar, Gurugram, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai, Noida, Pune, Salem and Tiruchirappalli. Get The Future You Want | www.capgemini.com/in-en

About Rugby India

The Indian Rugby Football Union (IRFU) aka Rugby India, founded in 1998, is the sole governing body for the sport of Rugby in India. Recognized by the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sport (MYAS), Govt. of India, Rugby India is a full member of World Rugby, Asia Rugby and the Indian Olympic Association (IOA). The body is responsible for the growth & development of the sport of Rugby across the country from the grassroots to the high-performance level. Rugby, besides being included in the School Games Federation of India (SGFI) & Association of Indian Universities (AIU) for various age-groups (boys & girls), is also part of the Services Sports Control Board (SSCB) and played by the Paramilitary & Police Forces. Rugby in India has a rich history and heritage dating back to 1872. However, only over the last decade has the sport seen a major rise in following and participation and Rugby India has been instrumental in garnering this interest across the country. There has been a significant growth and increase in participation numbers and currently over 150 Rugby Clubs, 2000+ Schools & Universities,100000+ players are playing across 350+ Districts in 27 States & Union Territories in India.

For More Information you can follow us on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter @RugbyIndia; or visit our website: www.indiarugby.com