Shiva Keshavan initiates digital campaign for Winter Olympics support

New Delhi, February 15, 2013: 31-year-old Shiva Keshavan is the country’s first athlete who practices and excels in the little known sport of Luge, the fastest and most dangerous of the three Olympic sliding sports. A 4-time Olympian and 2-time Asian Champion, Shiva has been campaigning for winter sports and other winter sport athletes, given that there are all the resources India needs to excel in them.

Keshavan has initiated a unique campaign to promote this little-known sport amongst the people of India. Using the power of social media, the luge pilot is raising awareness about his sport and garnering support for his dare-devilry.

In a distinctive call-for-support initiative, Keshavan has released a video where he travels at speeds of over 100 km per hour on a sled down the Leh-Manali highway and has promised to sport on his Olympic racing suit, the name of each person who shares this video.

The campaign, which is emblematically named “India for Shiva”, is focused to not just spread awareness about the sport of Luge but also establish Shiva Keshavan as a ‘Citizen’s Olympian’.

At the end of the 2-minute video - which showcases Shiva’s spirited feat on the Leh-Manali highway - Shiva makes a distinctive appeal to the viewers, saying, “Help me spread the idea of Luge. Just share this video, and I’ll put your name on my racing suit at the Winter Olympic Games!”

Keshavan said: “I want the people of India to actually be there in the Olympic Games with me, and this is the best way symbolically we can make it happen. “Many thanks to MTS that this will actually be a possibility now,” he said.

Press release