ONGC tells employees Virat Kohli and 178 sportspersons to push the brand

Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) has asked the Indian sportspersons who are employed by them to aggressively promote the brand whenever they get a chance. As many as 179 elite sportspersons are employed by ONGC which includes Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli. This comes after the brand has been rarely visible in the events in which the sportspersons take part as their private sponsors are preferred over their employers.

According to an important clause in their sports policy, all the 179 sportspersons were asked to prominently display the ONGC logo on their clothing and talk about them during their public appearances. It is understood that the ONGC authorities held a meeting with their sportspersons and emphasised the company’s brand promotion push and reminded them of their contractual obligation to give priority to official functions.

"Virat Kohli is our employee, so is Ishant Sharma. We have many sportspersons who won medals at the Asian Games but our brand doesn’t get promoted. If they are playing for the country, then the country has to be first, but ONGC is doing so much for them. So, whenever they get a chance, like when they give TV bites or give interviews they should talk about ONGC. We held a few meetings with the players in this regard and sensitised them about this issue," ONGC Group GM (HR) Manoj Bhartwal told The Sunday Express.

Manoj also added that ONGC has no problem if they don't about the company when the players are representing their states or the country but they should be doing that when they are not doing so.

Kohli has been a part of ONGC for a long time and alongside Kohli, his fellow cricketers Ishant Sharma, Praveen Kumar, Gautam Gambhir, Munaf Patel, athletes MR Poovamma, Hima Das, shooter Heena Sidhu, Badminton star Ashwini Ponappa, cue sports legend Pankaj Advani etc. have been employed by ONGC.