HT GIFA TAKES THE CITY BY STORM

A jam-packed stadium, an extravagant evening full of star power along with football fans of the city came together for the opening ceremony of the third edition of HT GIFA and made it a grand success

The biggest and the grandest football tournament in DelhiNCR — Hindustan Times Great Indian Football Action (HT GIFA) presented by SARE Homes, India’s premier FDI-funded developer, witnessed a glamorous opening ceremony of its third edition at the Thyagaraj Stadium. Adding star power to the event was Bollywood’s superstar Akshay Kumar, who delighted all the football fans by playing with them on stage.

However, the icing on the cake was when Akki kicked footballs in the direction of the audience and who ever caught it was then awarded cash prizes. Speaking to the large gathering, he said, “HT GIFA is providing a great platform for the kids and is making football a popular sport in the country.” The actor also highlighted the importance of

parental support that children require. He said, “If your child wants to get into any sport, always support them. You never know, they might become an Olympic champion.”

While actor-anchorman Hussain Kuwajerwala, who was hosting the event, kept the lively audience entertained, an electrifying performance by the Hindi rock band Astitva had the crowd singing along with them. DJ Sumit Sethi also took to the stage and belted out peppy numbers to keep the vibrant crowd going. A sizzling dance performance by The Dance Club India had the audience grooving as well. The trophy was unveiled by Akshay Kumar in the presence of Rajiv Verma, CEO, HT Media Group along with Sanjeev Handa, VP and Marketing Head, Maruti Suzuki India Ltd. This landmark moment was perfectly captured with a selfie from the new Gionee S6. Also present at the event were football players from Delhi Dynamos, Kean Lewis, Toni Doblas, Souvik Chakraborty and Arjun Tudu, who shared their insights with budding footballers.

“GIFA is a great opportunity for kids. When I was younger, I didn’t have that much opportunity and facilities,” said Kean Lewis. Providing healthy snacks at the stadium was our health supplement partner, Rostaa, who welcomed everyone with a wide array of dry fruits and snacks. Seen in attendance was Pravin Patil, MD and CEO, Giant Starkenn Sports Pvt. Ltd at the event. Their bikes were also in display. The presence of our cosponsors Pepe Jeans upped the style quotient of the event. With HT GIFA in the city, football fever is ready to reach new heights and its opening ceremony was just the inception of it.