Kalinga Black Tigers a franchise with a vision for Odisha: Karanpal Singh

When the proposition of owning a franchise in the Rugby Premier League presented itself before Karanpal Singh, he had a choice to make.

As a businessman and founder of Hunch Ventures, a private investment firm with interests across India and around the world, he fully understood the importance of regional representation and footprint.

“They offered me a team, and we had to choose which region we wanted the team for. It was not a difficult choice,” he had told the media at the eve of the league’s launch.

Having previously supported women’s rugby players from Odisha, Singh knew where his heart was.

The time is now

Hailing from a small town on the border of Jharkhand, Singh became aware of a set of girls from the same town that played rugby. While he was aware of the sport itself, the fact that these girls – despite their tribal background and limited guidance - were playing for the country, caught his attention.

He knew instantly that he had to support the women’s team.

“So that’s how I got involved with rugby,” he says, with a smile.

While Odisha has traditionally produced stellar Hockey players, rugby has quietly gained in popularity as well. In 2013 and 2021, the men’s team finished third in the Senior National Men's Rugby 7s Championships. At the national U17 and U20 tournaments, squads from Odisha are a regular feature.

And Singh recognises this fact.

“A lot of rugby is played in Odisha, in fact it is played more in rural Odisha as compared to the urban areas, and amongst the women's national team, we have five Odiya players out of the 13.”

The time, therefore, was ripe for the sport to receive a big fillip and with the Rugby Premier League ushering in a new era, Singh knew that the time was right for him to get involved.

Intersection of entertainment and sports

Having been introduced by the British in the 1870s, rugby’s presence in India is over 150 years old. It is played across 24 states in the country and yet, not very many are aware of it.

And this, according to Rahul Bose, the President of Rugby India, is largely due to the sport not being broadcast in the country.

“The fact that it is played in 322 out of 760 districts, that 40% of India’s districts play rugby and nobody knows because we’re not on mass media,” he had told The Bridge ahead of the launch of the league.

But now, with the Rugby Premier League holding matches on primetime slots and games aired live on Star Sports Select and the JioHotstar app, fans across the country get a glimpse of world-class rugby.

And this, for Singh, is a real gamechanger.

“In India, rugby is a sport that isn't played much, people are still learning and understanding the sport,” he says.

A combination of broadcast-driven exposure and the fast-paced action of Rugby7s, according to Singh, is bound to get heads turning.

“When you watch it - it's really fun to watch and I think the 7s format, there is an intersection with entertainment and sports when it becomes that 1–3-hour capsule entertaining and especially a game like rugby which is fast and full of contact, it will catch the fancy of people,” he opines.

A vision for Odisha

With his heart in the region and a deep-rooted passion for sports-promotion, Singh is committed to the cause.

“The short-term goal is to make sure that the facilities and the support (to the team) is great. These are all world class players and we are making sure we can do everything right for them,” he says.

For Singh, the Kalinga Black Tigers is a franchise that embodies a broader vision for Odisha’s development and recognition on the national stage.

Such is his philosophy that even the name for the franchise and its mascot - the melanistic tiger with his distinct dark hide - had to have a deep connection with the state.

"The last 15 of them are only found in Odisha. In Odisha they are worshiped and are a symbol of power, agility and speed so I thought it would be appropriate to name (the franchise) after them,” he says.

Armed with a passion for the sport, and with Hunch Venture in tow, Singh is here to stay: “The long-term goal for Kalinga Black Tigers is to make it a sports franchise - rugby and otherwise.”