Prasad V.Potluri Talk to metromatinee.com Exclusive Interview

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.

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 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.