Chennai, Oct 27 (IANS) Signing Commonwealth gold medal winner weightlifter Satish Kumar Sivalingam as its brand ambassador for its Dumbell brand fitness wear, ‘A Square Garments’ is set to take global the brand with a JV partner, said a top company official.
“It was our T-shirt that Sivalingam wore at the Commonwealth Games and won the gold medal. Now we have formally signed him up,” Abishek Rengasamy, Founder and Chairman of A Square Garments told reporters.
India’s active fitness wear segment is worth Rs 6,000 crore per annum and is expected to double-digit growth, Rengasamy said.
For Sivalingam, the first Indian weightlifter to turn a brand ambassador, Dumbell is the second brand he will be endorsing after iSteel TMT Bars brand owned by Viki Industries.
“It is not easy to get brand endorsement deals for weightlifters as the sport is not very popular,” Sivalingam told IANS.
Speaking about the products that champion weightlifters can promote, Harish Bijoor, a brand expert, had earlier told IANS: “The general imagery of a weightlifter and also that of a wrestler is that he is strong and powerful.”
Rengasamy also said Dubai-based Fincorp Global Holdings has taken minor stake in the company and invested $2 million. The Dubai company will open about 70 stores overseas.
According to him, the company will be launching women’s fitness wear and accessories shortly.
Queried about his plans in the weightlifting arena, Sivalingam said the short-term target is to compete in the nationals.
–IANS
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