Kerala Blasters belong to the Keralites, Sachin and me are
just facilitators,says Prasad.V.Potluri.
Interview by Rajvikram
The Indian Super
league is slowly but steadily capturing the imagination of football lovers in
India.And going by the huge patronage and crowd support that the league is
getting,it seems that the league is here to stay, fulfilling the aspirations of
the organizers who aspire to revolutionize Indian football.Kerala Blasters FC,one
among the eight franchisees in the league is arguably the team with the
greatest fan support.The team which is jointly owned by none other than Bharath
Rathna Sachin Tendulkar and the PVP group has connected with passionate
football fans in Kerala,big time.
Prasad.V.Potluri
who is the chairman and managing director of PVP Ventures Ltd. is a visionary
entrepreneur and a multifaceted personality with diverse interests.After making
it big in the field of business,beginning from very humble backgrounds,he is
seeking to give something back to the society.His interest in sports is phenomenal and it goes just beyond the mere
confines of entertainment.He wants a marriage of sports and business in a
positive manner,so that India can emerge as a sporting power house.He loves
Kerala and Kerala Blasters is just the extension of that love.A stalwart
entrepreneur and a humanist par excellence,Prasad.V.Potluri,talks about his
life,passions and visions.
Video
Qn. You hail from
Vijayawada and pursued your higher education in Australia
and then began your career at the United States.Please give an account of your
early days as a human being and as and an enterpreneur ..
PVP:- Well I come from very humble
beginnings.Vijayawada as you know is a small town,but I could get some good
education at the very outset itself,thanks to NSM public school,there.I had a
connection with Kerala during my school days itself,as most of my teachers in
the school were from Kerala and we had a small counter at the school,which was
of Federal bank.This was during the late 70 s and early 80 s and I vividly
remember a few teachers like Mr.Rajendran,Mr.Thomas and quite a few of the
principals who were from Kerala.My father used to have school buses,three in
number and it was the Federal bank which provided loan for that.For a middle
class family it was a great way to get started in life.After my schooling ,I
did my engineering from Vijayawada itself and after that I wanted to go to US
but was denied visa.I reached Australia to do my Masters with a few dollars in
my pocket,and it has to be said that it is a very tough place to pursue
education.I had to be a janitor in a gas station to supplement my studies.After
my education in Australia,I did manage to be in the US,effectively in my 7 th
attempt.
Qn. Your United states experiences.
PVP- I had the good
fortune to get a visa to the US at long last and I landed there on August 1 st
1995 as a visitor with just 160 dollars in my pocket and over the next nine
months,I just bought into the great American dream,so to speak.I believe
chances always favour the prepared mind and I am the classic example for
that.Think big and be prepared to fail big and during those times all road led
to Rome,America in this case.I was lucky that I was at the right place at the
right time.Anybody who could touch or punch a keyboard had avenues lined up.We
started a small firm based on ERP solutions and it was the heydays of Y2k
compliance.I began with just 100 dollars in my pocket and cashed in on the boom
period and became a preferred partner of 'People soft' and out of the blue we
received a call from a large IT firm called RCM technologies who wanted to
acquire us.It was the American dream and I don't think that this
enterpreneurial voyage can be replicated anywhere else.The ecosystem in the US
was hugely conducive and I was at the right place at the right time.The
Almighty has been kind to me.
Qn. Well,coming to the present,please expound
the reasons for opting for a Kerala based team in the Indian Super League.
PVP:- That was a very simple solution,the ISL had
the opportunity for bidding for multiple cities.We could choose from a number
of cities and I had a bit of exposure to
sports and my days in the United States helped me in this regard.I always
believed that sports has to be nurtured wherever there is an island of
excellence.My experience of bidding for an IPL team helped me to no end.I knew
that Kerala had a rich legacy in football and when I sat down with Sachin
Tendulkar,the co-owner to zero in on a team,we had no difficulty whatsoever in
choosing Kerala.Actually we did not do multiple bids and we staunchily believe
that fan engagement is critical to any sports.And Kerala has always been a
favourite destination for me and I have visited the holy hillock of Sabarimala
no less than 4 times.Kerala remains an exotic place for me even now.
Qn:- Why did you opt for the name Kerala
Blasters,when all other franchisees have a city specific name.
PVP:- That is a very
pertinent question.When we bid for the team we had a long term vision and
didn't want to restrict us.Both me and Sachin knew that Kerala has an enormous
emotional connect to the game of football.As I said earlier it is all about fan
engagement,and considering the huge love for the game in Malappuram,Kozhikkode
and other far flung areas,it is only a matter of time before the spirit of the
team Kerala Blasters spreads to every nook and corner of the state.That is our
long term vision.The euphoria that the players get when they play a home game
is peerless and they have a real spring in their steps and that is what Kerala
is all about.Both me and Sachin are just facilitators and ultimately the team
Kerala Blasters belongs to the Keralites.That is our vision and ambition.
Qn:- What is your take on the low patronage for
football in your homeland,whether it is Andhra or Telengana.
PVP:- Not much,surely facts have to be
said.Cricket and badminton are miles ahead of football in my homeland.
Qn- Has the crowd support for the Kerala Blasters
exceeded your expectations.
PVP:- Definitely,it has been spectacular to see
people come in huge numbers to support the Kerala Blasters.As far as the crowd
support is concerned we are right up there with the best.But still I would say
that it is only the tip of the iceberg,such is the passion for the game in
Kerala.And with the high quality of games that are dished out,it can only get
better in the days to come.
Qn :- In the context of the unfortunate death
of the Australian cricketer Philip Hughes on the field,what do you have to say
on player safety,especially in a contact sport like football.
PVP:- I have seen multiple sports including
American football,Rugby,cricket,football or at the other extreme Formula
one.Danger is inherent in every sports discipline and there is no getting away
from that.Sports is all about raw energy and it is part of the game that
unfortunate incident happens once in a while.But largely most sports is geared
towards safety and unfortunate incidents that happen once in a while is a reflection
of life.What is the guarantee in life after all? When you get into a plane,can
you be damn sure that it will land safely?
Qn:- What was your experience with the Indian
Badminton league team Hyderabad Hotshots
PVP:- It was splendid and we won the inaugural
edition.It is a terrific concept and it was special to associate with a
champion player like Saina Nehwal.Due to the packed international schedule the
second edition of the IBL will take place only early next year.We hope that we
will be able to repeat the success in the next season as well.
Qn:- Your foray into film industry and film
financing.
PVP:- We have an NBFC called PVP capital which provides
finance for films and an in-house production venture called PVP cinemas.South
Indian cinema is huge and contributes a
major chunk to Indian film industry as a whole.We are aware about the
huge potential of films and we are into the field big time.Substantial amount
of our capital goes into financing films and we intend to stay put in this
field for the foreseeable future.
Qn: Any possibility of a Malayalam movie in the near future.
PVP:- That cannot be
ruled out at all.It was only recently that I became absolutely impressed with
the movie 'Iyyobinte Pusthakam'. It was a fabulous experience and I met the
director of the movie Amal Neerad.I must say that it is one of the best movies
I have seen in recent times.Malayalam film world is well within our radar and I
am proud to say that we hold the exclusive remake rights of the blockbuster
movie 'Bangalore Days' in different South Indian languages.
Qn:- What does sports mean for you,is it just a pastime,a
passion or a business.
PVP:- Well it is a combination of it all.Sports represents a
slice of life and it makes a human being to challenge his limits.I have been
associated with sports at different levels and I have been an athlete
myself.Sports provides a human being with the right vision and infuses
discipline.It is a culture that has to be nurtured.Enormous potential India has
in sports has to be tapped and possibilities that exist in sports as a business
is phenomenal.
Qn:- A few words about the activities of PVP foundation.
PVP:- We began in the
field of education and health care.In my hometown we supported an undergraduate
institution in technology ,back in 2000.PVP Sidhartha institute of technology
is a non profit undergraduate institution.We also supported the LV Prasad eye
hospital,Hyderabad.It is a modicum of what we have,this is what America taught
me and the Almighty has given me,to give back something to the society.We try
to do whatever we can in the field of education,healthcare and sports.Recently
we supported an young chess prodigy in my homeland.
Qn:- Coming back to ISL,as of now how would you rate it on a
scale of 10.
PVP:- Yeah,that is an interesting question.There are multiple
areas in which we have to score.It is a broad spectrum and in many aspects it
is right up there.In crowd support ,enthusiasm,broadcast,quality of games it
will score 8 or 9 on 10 for sure.The numbers are spectacular and I am told that
it is the 5 th most watched league in the world.But having said that there are
many areas where there is scope for improvement.I like to believe that
infrastructure is the biggest area that
needs to be focussed.Stadiums,access to patrons,ambience,these things have to
improve.There should be concessions and gate collections have to be
streamlined.I have lived a major portion of my life in the Western world,where
sports is part of their culture.Sports should become part of India's
consumption story in a big way.We look at NBA or EPL with awe and it is all
about the quality of the stuff dished out.Why can’t we replicate it here.Sports
should become kid friendly and by extension to the family as well and when the
whole attitude towards sports changes and it will become akin to a ball game, a
wholesome concept of entertainment.Irrespective of the socio-economic strata
people should be able to enjoy the game with family,that is the goal as far as
our club is concerned.
Qn:- Do you think that it is good if the ISL is merged with
the existing I-league to make it more popular.
PVP:- Well,I am not the right person to comment on that and
there are seasoned people in the federation who will take a call on that.The
entire league is the creation of Ms.Nita Ambani.We all take ideas from here,she
has been the driving force of the
league.She has done a fabulous job and that reflects in the quality of the
league.
Qn:- Wouldn’t it be better if the ISL is an year round
affair like EPL or La Liga.
PVP:- We will have to
see,time will tell.It has to be an organic evolution and if the appetite is
there,in 8 or 10 years we may become like EPL or La Liga with football for 8 or
9 months a year, with twenty teams. Fortunately we don’t have weather
restrictions here as is the case in Europe and we can play year round.
Qn:-Finally,what about Kerala Blasters chances this season.
PVP:- Hopefully we will go all the way,I am confident about
that.We have a team of ordinary people who do extraordinary things.Both me and
Sachin don’t have flashy stars and we
don’t do flashy things.We go about our job silently and with huge support we
have here, our job is much more easier.When we step into the stadium here we
feel the energy of the supporters,which is nothing short of infectious.We did
have our share of good wins and bad losses as well,but then that is the nature
of the game.The table toppers get walloped by the bottom placed teams and there
are incredibly surprising results.We have reached the last leg,and with a bit
of fortune I still believe we can scrape through.
