A one-stop solution providing end-to-end sports infrastructure, Rayzon Global LLP has worked with some of the biggest names in the public and private sectors. CEO Vivek Parekh remains upbeat about the increasing awareness of sports in the country and opines that people are starting to see what’s available all over the world and aspiring to have similar facilities back home. What is your take on awareness of sports infrastructure in India? In my opinion, the level of awareness regarding the benefits of sports facilities or infrastructure has skyrocketed over the last decade. We are conditioned since childhood to have an interest in sports as there is some importance placed on it in school. However, bringing elite athletes into competitive conditions requires access to world-class sports infrastructure; better infrastructure contributes to better athletes. Our government has made various efforts and introduced initiatives for people to indulge in and view their favourite sports.If you look at the numbers, stadiums are being built rapidly in India. The builder segment is also contributing to the cause as they have started to make it a norm to provide sporting facilities in apartments and schools along with clubs and gymkhanas. In short, there is an immense and increasing awareness of sporting infrastructure with people starting to see what's available all over the world, which leads them to aspire to have those facilities available here as well. Do you believe the rise of townships and clubhouses has elevated the demand for sports infrastructure? Yes, of course, townships have increased the demand for sports infrastructure in India because there is a lot more space and provision created for sporting facilities and infrastructure. In many cases, developers have provided these kinds of facilities to attract clients to buy flats and apartments in their townships. For example, there is a mini township, Avadh, in Vapi, Gujarat, which has multiple row houses and they have created a lot of sports facilities like tennis courts, bowling alleys, a basketball court, arcade games, and football turf, to name a few. Townships require sports facilities or it would be difficult for them to sustain. This trend is not just a fad; it has already been implemented in the past and continues to be a strong value proposition in the present. Prominent sportspersons and athletes often come from Tier 1 and 2 cities and far-flung rural areas. What kind of sports infrastructure do we need in such areas as well to encourage future sportsmen? Right from DipaKarmarkar to Hima Das, there are numerous examples of sportspeople from small towns who have made India proud. The Government recognises this and has been supporting and lobbying to draw investment for sports infra in rural India through bodies such as the Army Sports Control Board (ASCB), Railway Sports Promotion Board (RSPB) and Power Sports Control Board (PSCB).But there is scope for much more! We need to start strengthening sporting infrastructure in rural areas at a grassroots level by actively involving PSUs in their corporate social responsibility (CSR) interventions. As sports are directly related to health and physical fitness, this also serves the wider public interest. PSUs can be more proactive in funding sporting interventions via a CSR budget. Please tell us about the products and services your company offers. Who are some of your prominent clients? We are a one-stop solution providing end-to-end sports infrastructure as a service. We share our expertise, implement and provide all necessary support for 3D modelling and inhouse installation, including all civil work. For timely delivery and meticulous execution, our projects are undertaken by some of the best sports consultants with vast knowledge and experience in the field. We specialise in multiple types of flooring like artificial turf, acrylic, PVC, PU, vinyl, PP sports tiles, rubber tiles or mats for gym flooring, EPDM rubber flooring, vulcanised rubber flooring and wooden flooring. A few products are manufactured inhouse while others are imported. We supply whole turnkey solutions like constructing stadiums, metal fabrication, subbase, civil work, lighting and other ancillary work. All our deliverables are 100 per cent genuine, come with assured quality and offer the best performance for every sport. Our portfolio consists of work undertaken in both the public and private sectors. In the private sector, we have delivered quality to top builders (Lodha, L&T, Kalpataru, Rustomjee, Satva),school chains (Poddar, Ryan International, Euro) and other reputed brands like Tata, Reliance, HPCL and Patanjali, to name a few. What led to the inception of your company and how has the journey been so far? The journey has been amazing. I was earlier dealing in wall coverings and building materials and one day we got a requirement for synthetic football turf. As our parent company has been in the plastic industry since 1952 and the material used for football turf is also plastic, we were keen on grabbing the opportunity. I went to different countries, visited multiple companies to understand the technology and products and got affiliated with them, brought the products to India and started the journey in providing sports infrastructure services. Initially, we were fighting to get small Rs 1-2 lakh orders but our team kept on striving. Now, we are working on large-scale government and private projects. We have a pan-India presence with offices in six cities across India. The sky's the limit for this venture and we are growing exponentially. How can we increase the player and spectator experience? The major focus is on providing the best sports infrastructure for a wholesome experience; at this point, we are missing the ancillary facilities. Stadiums and facilities without such provisions and environment are a wasted resource as there is much more than just the event itself that can be deployed to improve and prolong the use of a convention centre format. Different experiences like a bowling alley, trampoline park, fun zone and accommodation are a few things that can offer spectators and players a delightful experience. Along with providing the best quality sports infrastructure, Rayzon has always promoted and focused on developing such value additions that create an enjoyable and memorable experience.