Nandini brand sponsorship for Scotland & Ireland cricket teams sparks debate

The Karnataka Milk Federation’s dairy brand, ‘Nandini’, is set to sponsor the Scotland and Ireland cricket teams for the upcoming 2024 T20 World Cup, according to MK Jagadish, the managing director of KMF. During the matches, the teams will prominently display the ‘Nandini’ brand, with Jagdish stating that the initiative aims to bolster the brand’s global presence, particularly in regions like the United States, Middle East, and Singapore.

However, the sponsorship decision has faced criticism. TV Mohandas Pai, former Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Infosys, expressed disapproval of the move in a post on X.

“Why not sponsor the Karnataka Ranji team, Karnataka sports persons, Karnataka artists? Farmers children, scholarship for poor? Kmf is funded by Kannadiga tax papers money, subsidy and investments from budget but chooses to spend on foreign teams whom nobody knows!” Pai wrote on X.

In response to Pai’s criticism, KM Jagdish defended the sponsorship decision and clarified that 85% of the federation’s revenues directly benefit farmers in India.