As the Delhi leg of Premium National Corporate 5’s Futsal tournament kicks off, corporate honchos are relishing the idea of having a ball in the football field. The 11th edition of the annual event is being organised on September 10 and 11 in the city and corporate teams are eagerly awaiting a chance to show their football finesse.
The rising popularity of football among young professionals is one of the main reasons that the matches will be held in Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Delhi, Mumbai and Pune.
Samar Singh Sheikhawat, Senior Vice President, United Breweries Ltd, informs that Corporate 5’s Futsal is very popular among young professionals as it provides them a window to escape from a stressful work environment. He says, “The popularity is evident from the number of corporate houses participating in Kingfisher Corporate 5’s Futsal year after year. This year, we have about 250 organisations taking part which reflects the huge interest in the game and the popularity of the tournament. Companies encourage their employees to participate in such activities to help them pursue a healthier and more active lifestyle.”
Such activities also serve as a great bonding exercise while having a gala time with colleagues and counterparts, feels Esmond Lama, captain Genpact team, Delhi. He says, “I feel it helps the professionals do something besides their daily work and is a good way to release work stress. Events like these encourage football on a national platform. It really helps individuals bond, after all it’s all about teamwork. It helps in networking off the field with other professionals while competing.”
Ajay Ravi, vice president of Krebbs Biochem, also thinks that such events help executives hone their skills on the games field. He says, “Football requires a low investment on equipment as opposed to other sports. That’s why it is known as the game for the masses. It facilitates better interpersonal relationships at the workplace and ultimately results in thorough team building. Such dos provide a sense of competition both internally, as colleagues/players try out for teams and obviously externally when you are up against players from a spectrum of other industries.”