[1]Shiva Keshavan
Luge pilot Shiva Keshavan has launched a novel campaign seeking support for his participation in the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. The 31-year-old is a four-time Olympian and a twice Asian Champion and has been campaigning to popularise winter sports in the country.
This time, Keshavan has initiated a crusade which will use the power of social media to raise awareness about the sport.
Keshavan has released a video in which he travels at speeds of over 100 km per hour on a sled down the Leh-Manali highway and has promised fans to sport the name of each person who will share the video on his Olympic racing suit in the quadrennial event.
At the end of the video, Keshavan makes an appeal to the viewers, saying,“Help me spread the idea of luge. Just share this video, and I’ll put your name on my racing suit at the Winter Olympic Games!”
The campaign, named ‘India for Shiva’, is focused not just on spreading awareness about the sport but to also establish Keshavan as a Citizen’s Olympian. Since representing the country for the first time at the Winter Olympics in 1998 at Nagano, Japan, Keshavan has been participated in the all following Olympics, but has not been able to achieve the glory he has been aiming for.
Keshavan has not found much support for his quest but continues his attempts to bring the sport into focus in the country.
“I want the people of India to actually be there at the Olympic Games with me, and this is the best way symbolically we can make it happen. Thanks to my supporters and sponsors, this will actually be a possibility now.” Fans can register their support for the athlete on www.indiaforshiva.com [2].
Links:
[1] http://archive.asianage.com/shiva-keshavan-896
[2] http://www.indiaforshiva.com