Shah Rukh Khan is one of the biggest stars in Bollywood and has a massive following across the world. He has not only made a name for himself in the entertainment industry but has also been actively involved in promoting sports in India. One of his ventures is the Kolkata Knight Riders, a franchise cricket team in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Let’s take a closer look at this team and Shah Rukh Khan’s love for sports.
The Kolkata Knight Riders
The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) was founded in 2008 and is based in Kolkata, West Bengal. The team is owned by Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan, actress Juhi Chawla, and her spouse Jay Mehta. The team has won the IPL twice, in 2012 and 2014, under the captaincy of Gautam Gambhir.
The team’s logo features a knight, wearing a helmet with Kolkata’s iconic Victoria Memorial in the background. The team’s colors are purple and gold, which represent the royalty and spirit of the people of Kolkata.
The team’s home ground is the iconic Eden Gardens, which has a seating capacity of over 66,000. The stadium has been the venue for many historic matches, including the 1987 World Cup final. The KKR team has a huge fan following, not just in Kolkata but across the country.
Shah Rukh Khan’s Love for Sports
Shah Rukh Khan has always been a huge sports enthusiast. He has often expressed his love for sports in interviews and on social media. He is an avid football fan and has even owned a team in the Indian Super League (ISL), Kolkata-based ATK Mohun Bagan FC.
Apart from football, Shah Rukh Khan is also a huge cricket fan. He has been associated with the sport for a long time and has even played cricket at the school level. He has often talked about his love for cricket in interviews and has been seen cheering for the Indian cricket team during matches.
The idea of owning a cricket team came to Shah Rukh Khan when he was shooting for the movie Chak De India, in which he played the role of a coach of the Indian women’s hockey team. The movie was a huge success, and it inspired him to start his own sports venture.
Shah Rukh Khan believes that sports have the power to bring people together and to promote unity and harmony. He has often talked about how sports can teach important life lessons such as teamwork, discipline, and hard work. He has also been involved in various initiatives to promote sports in India.
The Kolkata Knight Riders as a Social Venture
The Kolkata Knight Riders is not just a cricket team, but also a social venture. The team has been actively involved in various initiatives to promote social causes such as education, health, and women’s empowerment.
One of the team’s initiatives is the “Knight Club”, which is a program that provides underprivileged children with the opportunity to learn and play sports. The program focuses on promoting the overall development of children by providing them with access to education, healthcare, and sports facilities.
The team has also been involved in various campaigns to promote women’s empowerment. In 2015, the team launched the “Knights in Pink” campaign, which aimed to create awareness about breast cancer and to raise funds for the treatment of underprivileged women suffering from the disease.
The team has also been involved in various environmental initiatives. In 2018, the team launched the “Go Green” campaign, which aimed to promote environmental sustainability. The team also replaced plastic cups with eco-friendly cups at their home ground, Eden Gardens.
In today’s world, where people are often divided by their differences, sports can serve as a unifying force that brings people together. Shah Rukh Khan’s involvement in sports and his dedication to promoting it is a testament to the positive impact that sports can have on society.
It is more important than ever to recognize the role of sports in promoting health, well-being, and social causes. By supporting sports initiatives and organizations, we can work towards building a better world for ourselves and for future generations.
