International Cricket Icon MS Dhoni, in association with Panerai, raised funds for SOS India at a charity Football match ‘Heroes for a Cause’ in Mumbai.
Panerai, the Italian Luxury Sports Watchmaker, organised a charity football match with its India Ambassador, also an International Cricket Icon, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, to raise funds for SOS India. Titled as ‘Heores for a Cause’, this match was held at St. Stanislaus Football Grounds in Bandra, Mumbai. Apart from MS Dhoni, the event witnessed participation of sports influencers from the country, semi-professional women football players and Panerai’s esteemed clients.
The friendly match of Football was followed by an auction of the Luminor Submersible 1950 3 Days Automatic Acciaio- 42mm PAM00682, a timepiece worn by MS Dhoni during the match. The proceedings raised from this auction were donated to SOS Children’s Villages of India, where children from SOS Children’s Village Alibaug were also present. The watch was auctioned at INR 8 Lakh.
Commenting on the occasion, Panerai’s Brand Director for Middle East and India, Gaby Bitarian said, “We at Panerai strongly believe that a happy childhood is a key pillar to a better future. Panerai’s stands for innovative instruments empowering contemporary heroes, and today, we celebrate those young contemporary heroes who started life with obstacles, but do not hesitate to overcome them. We are extremely thankful for Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s endorsement of this initiative and for supporting the brand in its cause generally. I think it means a lot to the children to meet their idol, and I hope it gives them and their brothers and sisters at SOS Villages of India boosted support in their everyday struggle for a better future.”
Brand ambassador and cricket superstar Mahendra Singh Dhoni added, “This is indeed a very thoughtful initiative by Panerai and it was my pleasure to have been a part of this beautiful sporting event. Childcare is an extremely important aspect of a country’s development and I congratulate SOS Children’s Villages of India on the great work that they have been doing to support the children. I look forward to more noble cause driven partnerships with Panerai in the future.”
Further adding to the association, Ms. Anuja Bansal, Secretary General, SOS Children’s Villages of India, said, “Associating with a brand like Panerai, which is meant for real heroes, is indeed a matter of pride for us. We need continuous support towards the cause of 20 million parentless and abandoned children in India. On behalf of SOS Children’s Villages of India, I want to thank M.S. Dhoni for supporting the cause, the winner of the auction and all those who have come forward to support our children. Time is precious and ticking. We need to utilise it for making our children’s lives fulfilling and contribute towards nation building.”