One of Asia’s largest sports, fitness and wellness trade expo – FITEXPO INDIA 2023 (December 1 to 3) was flagged off yesterday at the Biswa Bangla Mela Prangan in Kolkata at a gala ceremony attended by the Guest-of-Honour, Shri Radhe Shyam Goenka, Chairman, Emami, and other dignitaries and fitness, sports and wellness enthusiasts from all over India.
Mr Sushil Poddar, President, CWTA, Mr Harmeet Singh Luthra, Founder-Director, Fitline, Mr Vishal Gupta, MD, Viva Fitness, Mr Gagan Sachdev, Founder-Director, Bodyline and FITEXPO INDIA, Mr Paul Chowdhury, Rival Fitness, Mr Parag Bhatia, Director, Building Nutrition, Mr Rahul Bose, Director, Body Sensation were also present. The event is being held in association with SPORTEXPO.
The 3-day mega expo, spread over 3 lac sq feet of indoor and outdoor area, will engage over 5000 fitness, sport, and wellness enthusiasts and experts and is expected to draw over 1.25 lac footfalls. The EXPO is showcasing a diverse range of sports and fitness products from top brands. The FITEXPO INDIA 2023 would be a business-to-consumer (B2C) as well as a business-to-business (B2B) affair. This is the fourth edition of the Expo which is held biennially.
“FITEXPO INDIA is more like a `Kumbh mela’ for sports, fitness and wellness and connects with the growing base of sports lovers, fitness enthusiasts and wellness practitioners while providing a 360-degree view of these rapidly expanding sectors where health, wealth and commerce go hand in hand under the same roof with overarching commercial benefits in the long run. The Indian sports, fitness and wellness sector, under Khelo India and Fit India, is now five times bigger,” said Mr Gagan Sachdev, founder-director of THE FITEXPO INDIA and Vice-President, Calcutta Sports Dealers Association (CSDA).
“Our two years of effort and passion will culminate in FITEXPO INDIA 2023 which will engage the entire fitness and sporting community of West Bengal, including the sports development authorities, Sports Authority of India and The Bengal Olympic Association,” said Mr Sachdev.
Mr Rajesh Bhatia, President CSDA and Chief Convenor of SPORTEXPO, said, “This year there is a special platform SPORTEXPO curated solely for the sports industry focusing on promotion of sports goods, sportswear, sports Infrastructure development and technology. There is a great opportunity for sports market in the Eastern region and it is very important that an exhibition of this scale is organized in Kolkata so that sports dealers and enthusiasts get the opportunity to explore the same.”
More than a 100 different kinds of events related to fitness, bodybuilding, powerlifting, kettlebell, weight lifting, CrossFit, armwrestling, dance fitness, Zumba, yoga etv. FITEXPO INDIA 2023 has 32 formats of martial arts, mixed martial arts and combat sports. Other than popular games like cricket and football, there is throw ball, dodgeball, rugby, skating and cycling; indoor games like badminton, table tennis, carrom, chess, archery and dart tournaments also and many other activities.
“We are bringing together State Sports Associations and National and International Brands on to the platform to create collaborations and opportunities for further development of Sports,” said Mr Sanjay Srivastav, Jt Convenor, SPORTEXPO.
Elaborating on the mega Expo, Mr Subrata Dutta, Chairman IFA, Chief Patron of SPORTEXPO, said, “Sports has immense potential to generate employment and curb deviant activities and such events play a key role in motivating our youth to stay on the right path”
Mr Sushil Poddar, President, Confederation of West Bengal Trade Association (CWBTA), informed that the event was being held under the aegis of CWBTA and West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation (WBIDC) and notably, the event enjoys patronage from the Fit India Movement and Khelo India, with additional support from institutions and government bodies.
According to Mr Narendra Kapadia, Chairman Expo, “This event would serve multi-fold objectives like raising awareness about Health & Fitness; inducing innovation & investments in the sector as well as creating opportunities for monetization of sports & fitness activities.”
“It’s not just a show; it’s a celebration of wellness. Bringing fitness icons from all kinds of genres under one roof makes it a wholesome experience, and I’m thrilled to be part of this vibrant community, where health and happiness dance hand in hand,” said personal trainer and Zumba presenter, Natalie Pote Shaw.
With a Corporate Business Lounge facilitating B2B activities and the FitPitch (the theme-based flagship fundraising and trade exchange) event would encourage growth, collaboration and investment for start-ups and innovators.
“At The FITEXPO INDIA 2023, we’re not just lifting weights, we are lifting the standard for fitness. Our gym is proud to be part of this groundbreaking event, where health meets innovation, and we redefine what it means to elevate your fitness journey,” said Rashmi Sachdev, owner of Karma Fitness Studio.
“This Expo will not only nurture the spirit of sportsmanship and inculcate competitive behaviour but also help identify and honour talents from different fields of sports; encourage brand endorsements as more and more corporates come forward to recognise and endorse sporting talent. One of the biggest gains from the EXPO would be direct and indirect investment flowing into Bengal in the rapidly expanding sports and fitness sector. This includes sports goods and services, fitness gears, fitness software and a wide array of training, coaching and skill-development services,” said Mr Abhay Mishra, Principal Advisor, FITEXPO INDIA 2023.
A large number of associations and bodies related to sports, fitness, calisthenics, wellness, sporting infrastructure and software, along with students from various schools of Kolkata will be participating in live events at the FITEXPO INDIA 2023. The event has been curated to match the standards of similar International events.