Digital technology leader, Samsung India Electronics Pvt. Ltd. today kicked off its Olympic Program for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games by announcing a Samsung Scholarship Program to support seven top Indian athletes as they prepare for the forthcoming Beijing Olympics. The ‘Samsung Olympic Ratnas’ who have been identified for this Scholarship are:

- World Shooting Champion 2006, Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award Winner 2006 and Samsung Olympic Brand Ambassador: Manavjit Singh Sandhu.
- Silver Medal Winner at the 2004 Athens Games and Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award Winner 2004: Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore.
- First Indian shooter to win a World Championship Gold in Zagreb in 2006 and Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award Winner in the Year 2001: Abhinav Bindra.
- Silver Medal Winner at the Commonwealth Games 2006 and Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award Winner 2003: Anjali Bhagwat.
- Silver Medal Winner at the Commonwealth Games 2006 and 2007 National Games: Avneet Kaur Sidhu.
- First Indian Archer to qualify for the Olympics and Gold Medal winner at the Archery World Cup 2007: Dola Banerjee
- 2007 National Boxing Champion and Silver Medal Winner at the SAF Games 2006: A. L. Lakra

The above are only few of the achievements of the Samsung Olympic Ratnas. Patterned on the Olympic Solidarity Fund, the Samsung Scholarship Program will support the training expenses of these players for a period of one year, between October 2007 and September 2008.

Samsung India today also became the ‘Olympic Partner’ for the Indian delegation to the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The Company will be the Official Sponsor in the category of Consumer Electronics, IT and Telecommunications.

Mr. H B Lee, President  & CEO, Samsung South West Asia Head Quarters and Mr. Suresh Kalmadi, President of the Indian Olympic Association signed the Memorandum of Understanding at a joint Press Conference held in the Capital today. Present on the occasion of the Signing ceremony were: Raja Randhir Singh, Secretary General, IOA and Member, International Olympic Committee; Mr. R. Zutshi, Dy. Managing Director, Samsung India and the Samsung ‘Olympic Ratnas’.

Announcing the Samsung Olympic Scholarship Program, stated Mr. Lee, “Our Olympic program seeks to support the training needs of these seven, high potential, high caliber athletes, who we hope can return from Beijing with Medals for the country. Hence, the term ‘Samsung Olympic Ratna’ for them”.

Mr. Suresh Kalmadi, President of the Indian Olympic Association lauded Samsung’s continued support and commitment to the Olympic movement in India and hoped that ‘the Samsung Scholarship for individual players and the Company’s support to the Indian Olympic Association for the entire team would yield strong and positive results in the form of a richer medal tally for the country.’ He also congratulated Samsung for having renewed its worldwide sponsorship of the Olympics till the Year 2016.Mr. Randhir Singh, Secretary General of the Indian Olympic Association and Member, International Olympic Committee appreciated the initiative taken by Samsung towards supporting and strengthening the Olympic movement in India and worldwide.

Samsung India’s association with the Indian Olympic Association commenced with the 1998 Bangkok Asian Games and ever since the Company has supported the Indian Contingent to the Y2000 Sydney Olympics, Y2002 Busan Asian Games, the Y2004 Athens Olympics and now the 2008 Beijing Olympics. “It has been our continuous ende