PUMA India Signs PV Sindhu as Brand Ambassador for Badminton
Sports brand PUMA India has expanded its sports portfolio by entering into a multi-year partnership with Indian badminton star and two-time Olympic medalist PV Sindhu.
This collaboration marks PUMA’s official entry into badminton. Through this partnership, PUMA aims to reinforce its sports-first focus, raise the profile of badminton in the country, and inspire the next generation of athletes. Together, PUMA and Sindhu aim to increase the sport’s appeal, especially among young athletes.
Sindhu's achievements have played a crucial role in popularizing badminton as a competitive sport in India. As the first Indian to win five badminton world championship medals, she has also triumphed across the Olympics, Commonwealth Games, Asian Games, and beyond. Honored with prestigious accolades including the Khel Ratna, Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, and Arjuna Award, Sindhu’s decade-long stellar performances have established her as a global icon. Recently featured in the 2024 Forbes World’s Highest-Paid Female Athletes, she also leads as the world’s most-followed badminton player on Instagram, with a staggering fan base of 4 million followers.
Commenting on the partnership, PV Sindhu said, “I’m excited to join the PUMA family, a brand that shares my belief in the power of sport to inspire. This partnership with PUMA India isn’t just about being part of something bigger—it is an opportunity to connect with those who value pushing boundaries and embracing challenges. Badminton has always been a platform for growth and self-discovery for me, and through this collaboration, I hope to encourage others, especially women, to take risks, believe in themselves, and strive for more—both on and off the court".
Karthik Balagopalan, Managing Director of PUMA India, added, “PV Sindhu is a legend and a trailblazer, and we are proud & delighted to welcome her into our PUMA family. She is the most followed badminton athlete in the world. Her extraordinary legacy in Indian sports which includes a lot of historic firsts has not only placed India on the badminton map globally but has also inspired millions, pushed the boundaries, and paved the way for future generations of athletes. As we make our first-ever step into badminton, this association will further our goal to increase PUMA’s footprint in the rapidly growing sports landscape in the country, inspiring more youngsters to take up the racquet sport”.
Ahead of the announcement, PUMA India launched an activation wherein the sports brand made a serious move by changing its brand signage at several of its stores across the country for close to a week. The brand name ‘PUMA’ was changed to ‘PVMA’, as a massive gesture to celebrate the legendary Sindhu. This big move created ample buzz on the internet over the last few days.
As part of this partnership, PUMA will also launch a high-performance badminton range soon, featuring specialised footwear, apparel, and accessories. The upcoming collection is designed to redefine on-court performance while catering to the lifestyle aspirations of sports enthusiasts, drawing on the insight that community-driven activities—whether sports or otherwise—motivate people to show up looking their best.
PUMA's partnership with Sindhu adds her to a prestigious list of the brand’s elite athletes, including cricket stars Harmanpreet Kaur, Mohammed Shami, Olympian Sarabjot Singh, Paralympian Avani Lekhara, boxing champion MC Mary Kom, lifestyle icons like Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ibrahim Ali Khan Pataudi, and international legends such as Usain Bolt and Neymar Jr.
The PUMA-Sindhu collaboration will debut at the India Open 2025, marking the start of a dynamic partnership that aims to shape the future of badminton in India.