India House: Elevating India''s global sporting ambitions at Paris 2024

Building on the momentum from the IOC Session, India is taking a bold step forward in its global sporting ambitions with the first-ever India House at the upcoming Paris Olympics 2024.

This landmark initiative aims to propel India towards becoming a dominant force in global sports, fostering greater success at the Olympics and charting a course towards hosting the Games in the future.

India House falls under the ambitions of the Reliance Foundation and the Indian Olympic Association''s (IOA) long-term partnership, which aims to elevate the performances of Indian athletes, support the national sports federations and build the credentials of India as a global sporting nation, with an aspiration to host the Olympic Games in the future.

A cornerstone feature of the Olympic Games, Olympic Hospitality Houses serve as a platform for participating countries to showcase their culture, hospitality, and national pride to athletes, media, visitors, and supporters. These houses serve as a space for fans to celebrate and support their athletes/ teams during competitions, and act as a "home away from home" for athletes and their families during the Games.

The Olympic House also becomes a place for fans of the country''s team to gather for event "watch-parties" and celebrations during competitive events, and in some cases, athletes who medal make an appearance during the day or evening.

At the 2016 Rio Olympics, there were more than 35 Olympic committee-affiliated hospitality houses around Rio, with 27 listed on the official Rio 2016 website. These houses brought up unique experiences to the visiting fans. For example, the Heineken Holland House in Rio had a cry room, a pool, a swim-up bar, and a two-storey video screen streaming the Olympics live.

India House at the Paris Games will serve as a showcase of India to the world, to fans from across the world, to key stakeholders from the global sports world, Indian travellers, media and athletes. It will also be the first time that Indian athletes will have a home at the Olympics that will look to celebrate India''s sporting achievements and sportspersons.

Speaking about the first ever India House, Nita Ambani, Chairperson and Founder of Reliance Foundation, said, "It is with immense joy and excitement that I am thrilled to announce the first-ever India House at the Paris Olympic Games. The IOC session in India last year, the first in 40 years, was a key milestone in our Olympic journey and we are delighted to continue this momentum with the launch of India House - a space where we will honour our athletes, celebrate our wins, share our stories, and welcome the world to India. We truly hope that India House will be one more step towards fulfilling the shared dream of 1.4 billion Indians to bring the Olympic Movement to India!"

The India House will be situated at Parc de la Villette, which is the third-largest park in Paris, 55.5 hectares (137 acres) in area, located at the northeastern edge of the city. During the Olympic games, La Villette is set to become the Parc Des Nations and host Olympic Houses near India House, like France (Club France), the Netherlands, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Czech Republic, South Africa and Columbia. Upon entering India House, visitors will be greeted with the sights, sounds, and flavors of India - from tantalizing cuisine to vibrant music, and exquisite textiles to traditional jewellery.

Guests will be transported to India''s towns and cities to learn about what the country has to offer, aided by transcendental technology. Fans also get to cheer on their favourite Indian athletes, be part of community watch parties and celebrate athletes'' achievements with dedicated athlete celebrations. All those who enter India House will undoubtedly be moved - figuratively, by experiences like mallakhamb involving the visually impaired and youth;, by the likes of yoga, and dance to give them a true taste of India.

India House will embody the nation''s unwavering determination for success across all endeavours, particularly in the realm of sports. Additionally, a dedicated section will commemorate India''s over 100-year journey since its inaugural appearance at the Olympics, while simultaneously highlighting our future sporting ambitions.

In essence, India House is poised to transcend boundaries, bridge cultures and foster camaraderie among Olympic enthusiasts - all while showcasing India''s rich heritage and boundless potential to the world.

Nations from across the world strengthen their involvement in the Olympic Movement during the Olympic Games with the official National Olympic House, which gives millions of fans and travellers a vision and an understanding of the country and also serves as an avenue to engage officials, sportspeople and their families and the public.

The inaugural India House is proudly sponsored by Dream Sports, JSW, Radico and Beautiful India. Dream Sports will also be conducting a special panel discussion on cricket''s inclusion in the Olympic program titled "Cricket at the Olympics - Dawn of a new Era."

The panel will feature Indian cricketing legend Rahul Dravid, who recently coached India to the men''s T20 World Cup title as well as the CEO of the International Cricket Council.

One of the major highlights of the India House will be its daily programming,India House: elevating India''s global sporting ambitions at Paris 2024 which will feature a mix of engagements, exhibits and experiences, that have been specially curated by the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre, marking its global entry.

Among the performers will be leading Bollywood singer Shaan, who will be in action on the opening night in a glittering opening ceremony, as well as the Raghu Dixit Project, Penn Masala, the first South Asian a cappella group and sitarist Tommy Khosla and JAWARI.

The celebration of India''s rich tapestry moves beyond its home turf and onto a prestigious global platform, offering a unique opportunity for international audiences to experience Indian heritage like never before. The initiative highlights Founder & Chairperson Mrs. Nita M. Ambani''s lifelong vision of showcasing the best of India to the world.

The Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre is a first-of-its-kind, multi-disciplinary space in the sphere of arts, within the Jio World Centre, located in the heart of Mumbai''s Bandra Kurla Complex.

The Cultural Centre is home to three performing arts spaces: the majestic 2,000-seater Grand Theatre, the technologically advanced 250-seater Studio Theatre, and the dynamic 125-seater Cube. The Cultural Centre also features the Art House, a four-storey dedicated visual arts space built as per global museum standards with the aim of housing an array of exhibits and installations from the finest artistic talent across India and the world. (ANI)