A royal sport is back on course, but as a commercial proposition. Equestrian sport is making a come-back, thanks to the love of horses that a grand-daughter and her husband have inherited from their parents and forefathers.
Sarvam Ventures Pvt Ltd has forayed into horse-riding venture on a three-acre land in Bogadi, on outskirts of Mysore. Equipped with a riding arena, the required size for Arena Polo, it is in the process of forming polo events, which will be cup-based tournaments.
“We are talking to corporates interested in supporting us. Being an elitist sport, polo traditionally attracts companies interested in the higher end of the luxury business,” says Jaideep Bhale Rao, one of the two founders.
Speaking to Business Standard on his venture’s business model, Maharajkumari Gayatri Devi Puravi Riding Club, he says, “Our first revenue streams are from membership and riding fees. The second revenue stream is from selling horses trained in show jumping and polo. Our future plans include cross country rides, possibly horse safaris in the old Mysore region.”
A great-grandson of the Maharaja of Venkatagiri, who built the Madras Race Club, Rao explains, ‘Puravi’ translates into horse, highlighting the shared, common culture of South India. “At the risk of sounding over ambitious, we are attempting to recreate a culture using the horse as a focal point in Southern India using equestrian events and polo as a starting point.”