PUMA, a renowned sports brand, which had recently come into the fore with PVMA branding on some of its stores and logo change on its official social media handles, has now announced its decision to have Badminton star PV Sindhu join them as their new brand ambassador to target India’s thriving badminton market.
This collaboration with the two-time Olympic medallist marks PUMA’s official foray into badminton, making India a pioneer within the PUMA universe to access the racquet-sport and the brand looks to further strengthen its sports-first presence, elevating badminton’s profile in the country, and inspiring the next generation of athletes via this association.
Currently, badminton’s popularity in India is surging, with a fan base of 57 million, according to the Google-Deloitte Think Sports report from 2024. Of this, 27.8 million are Gen Z, reflecting the sport’s strong appeal among younger audiences. Badminton has also emerged as the second-most played sport in urban areas, after cricket, and has seen a remarkable 65% rise in active participation over the past four years.
As the first Indian to win five badminton world championship medals, Sindhu has triumphed across the Olympics, Commonwealth Games, Asian Games, and beyond and has been honoured with prestigious accolades including the Khel Ratna, Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, and Arjuna Award.
Before joining PUMA’s sportstars roster, she, who leads the charts for the world’s most followed badminton player on Instagram, with a staggering fan-base of 4 million followers, also featured in the 2024 Forbes World’s Highest-Paid Female Athletes.
The partnership between PUMA and Sindhu will debut at the India Open 2025, providing the platform for a dynamic collaboration which will set the tone for the future of badminton in India.
That said, PUMA India, in the leadup to this announcement, launched a never-done-before activation wherein the sports brand made a serious move by changing its brand signage from ‘PUMA’ to ‘PVMA’ at several of its stores across the country for close to a week, as a massive gesture to celebrate the legendary Sindhu.
As part of this partnership, the brand is also poised to launch a high-performance badminton range soon, featuring specialised footwear, apparel, and accessories. Moreover, 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 association with Sindhu places her alongside an impressive roster of the brand’s elite athletes, featuring cricketing icons Harmanpreet Kaur, Mohammed Shami, Olympian Sarabjot Singh, Paralympian Avani Lekhara, boxing champ MC Mary Kom, to lifestyle icons like Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ibrahim Ali Khan Pataudi and international legends such as Usain Bolt and Neymar Jr.
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.”
To this, Karthik Balagopalan, Managing Director, 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.”
