Mizuho Bank to Back 30 High-Potential Swimmers at Inspire Institute of Sport

In a significant boost for Indian swimming, Mizuho Bank Ltd. has announced its support for 30 promising swimmers through a partnership with the Inspire Institute of Sport (IIS). This move aligns with Mizuho's commitment to corporate social responsibility and aims to elevate the standard of competitive swimming in India.

The Inspire Institute of Sport, India's first privately funded high-performance training centre and the largest Olympic sports development programme in the country, offers full scholarships to over 800 athletes across its centres in Karnataka, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, and Manipur. These scholarships provide access to world-class infrastructure, coaching, sports science support, and an integrated academic curriculum, all designed to foster the holistic development of athletes and prepare them for national and international competitions.

Mizuho Bank, a leading global financial institution with a 28-year presence in India, operates through five branches and four legal entities in the country, including Mizuho Securities and Mizuho Leasing. With over 1,000 employees serving Japanese and non-Japanese clients, the bank is set to begin operations in Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City) soon.

Expressing pride in the partnership, Parth Jindal, founder of the Inspire Institute of Sport, stated, "For an organisation as large as Mizuho Bank to choose to support the Inspire Institute of Sport is a matter of immense pride for all of us. It’s moments like these that put a spring in our steps in our quest to make India a sporting superpower. The power of sport shines through in their belief in our swimming programme, and I am really excited to see what the future holds".

Rushdee Warley, CEO of the Inspire Institute of Sport, highlighted the significance of the partnership for Indian swimming. "The Inspire Institute of Sport is delighted to welcome Mizuho Bank as partners of its Elite Swimming Programme. This partnership underlines our joint effort and commitment to contribute to the development of swimming in India, and Mizuho’s support will go a long way in helping us raise the bar. The growth and success we’ve seen in a short period of time is unprecedented, and I’m certain that this will prove to be a watershed moment in Indian sport".

Warley, who has extensive experience in swimming and high performance with South Africa Swimming and New Zealand Swimming, has overseen the progress and qualification of numerous young swimmers to global competitions, including the Olympic Games. Under his leadership, the IIS swimming programme, launched in 2023, boasts two state-of-the-art pools, providing swimmers with access to high-performance facilities, hostels, and a learning center. The programme offers comprehensive technical coaching, competition exposure, and support in sports science, strength and conditioning, nutrition, education, mental health, and residential facilities.

Swimming, a sport with a global reach and high medal potential, is seen as an area where India must make significant strides to achieve Olympic success. With 111 medals available in swimming at the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympics, IIS and Mizuho Bank recognize the importance of nurturing Indian talent in this field.

Piyush Agarwal, Senior Managing Director and Head of Corporate & Institutional Banking (India) at Mizuho Bank, elaborated on the bank's vision and commitment to the partnership. "Our corporate social responsibility initiatives reflect our corporate values and our commitment towards having a positive impact on society. Our purpose is to proactively innovate together with our clients for a prosperous and sustainable future. Our fundamental approach to all our activities is to operate responsibly. We are honoured to partner with IIS, who were our partner of choice for the first ever Sports CSR investment in India as we share their vision of developing and nurturing Indian talent to succeed in the world of international sports. As one of the youngest nations in the world with about 60% population being under the age of 28, we believe that India should claim its rightful place on the podium in this aspect too. Sports play a vital role in building essential skills like competitive mindset, resilience, discipline, teamwork, etc., and we hope to inspire many others by shining a spotlight on the talented athletes from across the country".

Among the talented young swimmers benefiting from the Mizuho Elite Swimming Programme are Maana Patel, Kushagra Rawat, Ishaan Mehra, Astha Choudhury, Ashmitha Chandra, and Bikram Changmai. Additionally, IIS extends its swimming expertise to a satellite centre in Odisha, impacting over 4,000 young swimmers through the 'Learn to Swim' programme, in collaboration with the Odisha government.

This partnership between Mizuho Bank and the Inspire Institute of Sport marks a significant step forward in the development of competitive swimming in India, promising to enhance the country's potential on the global stage and inspire a new generation of athletes.