Bollywood Star Sonu Sood Joins Special Olympics Bharat As Brand Ambassador

New Delhi: Indian actor and philanthropist Sonu Sood has graciously consented to support Special Olympics Bharat as the Brand Ambassador.

At a virtual event viewed by over 500 Athletes, Coaches, families, officials and volunteers, he interacted with the Special Athletes responding to their queries while admiring and appreciating their sporting achievements. The inaugural session introduced him to the #WalkForInclusion, an initiative of the Special Olympics Asia Pacific Region, demonstrated by the Athletes, marking his entry into the Inclusion Revolution of the Special Olympics movement.

Sonu Sood will support Special Olympics Bharat in all its endeavours of promoting Inclusion for Persons with Intellectual Disabilities on and beyond the sporting arena. Speaking about his role as the Ambassador, Sonu Sood said, “Today is a very special day for me and I am delighted to join this journey of Inclusion with Special Olympics Bharat. Through their sporting achievements, each and every Special Olympics Athlete redefines human spirit that stands tall in the face of every challenge. I wish luck to all of them to do their best and showcase their abilities with confidence which in itself would send a strong message to the world that they deserve to be mainstreamed. I feel privileged to join the Special Olympics Bharat family, and vouch to make this platform even bigger and resonate with people all over the country. I support SO Bharat. I support the Inclusion Revolution.”

Welcoming Sonu Sood to the Special Olympics movement, Dr. Mallika Nadda, Chairperson Special Olympics Bharat said, “I wish to convey my gratitude to Mr. Sonu Sood for accepting our invitation to join the Special Olympics family. We are certain that he will play a major role in giving a new direction to the Special Olympics movement in India and help the cause of persons with Intellectual Disabilities all over the world. Mr. Sonu Sood has offered his support to Special Olympics Bharat on several occasions in the past, and we are thrilled that he is now going to lead the Special Olympics movement. We look forward to working together with Mr. Sonu Sood in our effort to provide an equal opportunity and the dignity of life for persons with intellectual disabilities.”

 In his role as the Brand Ambassador for Special Olympics Bharat, Sonu Sood will lead the team of Special Olympics Bharat Athletes who will travel to Kazan to participate in the Special Olympics World Winter Games in January 2022.

“I feel honoured to have this opportunity to be with our team in Russia for the Special Olympics World Winter Games. We will together encourage our athletes to give their best and cheer them on with such enthusiasm that the roar of support will echo back home in India as well,” said Sonu Sood. To conclude this special virtual event, Sonu Sood interacted with a number of Special Olympics Bharat Athletes about their journey. He also accepted an overwhelming number of birthday wishes from Athletes, Coaches, families, officials and volunteers who joined the event.

Special Olympics Bharat is a National Sports Federation accredited by Special Olympics Inc. to conduct sports and development programs all over India. Special Olympics Bharat is registered with the Indian Trusts Act 1882 and is recognized by the Government of India as a National Sports Federation (since 2006) for the development of Sports for Persons with Intellectual Disabilities. Founded by Air Marshal DenzilKeelorPVSM, KC, AVSM, VrC, in 2001 it has over 1.5 million Athletes registered across all the States and Union Territories of India. Special Olympics is a global inclusion movement using sport, health, education and leadership programs every day around the world to end discrimination against and empower people with intellectual disabilities. Founded in 1968 by Ms Eunice Kennedy Shriver, the Special Olympics movement has grown to more than 6 million athletes and Unified Sports partners in more than 190 countries. Special Olympics works through seven regions, out of which India falls under the Asia Pacific Region. In the Asia Pacific region, Special Olympics has touched the lives of more than 1.7 million athletes across 35 countries.