Hindustan Zinc Company of Vedanta Group today announced its support of the country's top open water swimmer Bhakti Sharma for one year.
During this period, Bhakti would be promoting the open water swimming and also train girls.
Hindustan Zinc CEO Akhilesh Joshi said, "The company has in the past sponsored many sportsperson like athlete Krishna Poonia, weightlifter Mala Sukhwal, Jabbar Ali, and Limba Ram. Bhakti Sharma is a resident of Rajasthan and particularly Udaipur and being one of the largest corporate in Rajasthan we felt we should come forward and support such sportsperson."
"I am very thankful to Hindustan Zinc for promoting the open water swimming sports and I believe girls in India are talented and can certainly make their mark internationally. Support from Hindustan Zinc is essential for the sports person like me and also for the sports as this helps the sportsmen in putting 100% efforts," she said.
"I would be encouraging girls to join this sport and would personally train them," she added.
The MoU was signed here today in presence of Akhilesh Joshi, Amitabh Gupta (CFO) and Pavan Kaushik (Head Corporate Communication of Hindustan Zinc).
In January, Bhakti is making another effort at a world record by swimming Antarctica Ocean for 2.5 km. If she is successful, she would be breaking the record of Lewis Pugh of South Africa who swam for 1 km.
"It would be proud moment for India if she achieves this record as being a girl it would encourage many girls to come forward and join such adventure sports," said Akhilesh Joshi.
Bhakti has been pursuing open water swimming for the last 10 years and has also swam across four oceans, eight channels and seas. In 2010, she was awarded Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award.
