By Business India Editorial

In the mid-1990s, TI Cycles, a division of Tube Investment of India and a part of south India’s Murugappa group, decided to move from just promoting and selling bicycles to promoting bicycling as a fitness activity. Thus began the foundation of a lasting relationship with various cycle clubs and associations at all of the company’s locations in the country. The result of this link-up with cycling clubs like Chain Reaction and the Tamil Nadu Cycling Club was the company’s first cyclathon, conducted in 2009.

Since then, TI Cycles has conducted thousands of cycling-related activities across the country, and established facilities, including a first-of-its kind mountain bike park within its Ambattur premises and succeeded in driving cycling as a recreational activity amongst the fitness-conscious, urban Gen-Y.

There have been other sports related initiatives at the group. Murugappa Youth Football Academy (MYFA) was inaugurated in July 2015, with the objective of providing grass-root football coaching to children from economically weaker sessions. The facility is extended to boys from classes 6-8 of the Vellayan Chettiar School. It is also conceptualised as a means of imparting life skills, inculcating disciple, and diverting them from the anti-social environment prevalent in Tiruvottiyur and surrounding areas.

The students have access to professional equipment and are supplied with a personal football kit free of cost. The three coaches have all played at the national level and two are certified coaches. The Academy also provides the students with coaching in life skills and personality development, and ensures their adequate and complete nutrition through supplements.