Edtech unicorn Unacademy has inked a strategic partnership with Sachin Tendulkar. The cricket maestro will not only serve as the brand ambassador of the startup, but will also drive the creation of sports learning content on the Unacademy platform.
Sachin would be conducting a series of live interactive classes that will be made available free of cost to Unacademy’s 40 million learners.
The Bengaluru-based startup is also “working on developing a deeper content-led partnership with Sachin, the contours of which will be revealed in the next few months”, the company said in a statement.
Through this partnership, Unacademy aims to offer “holistic learning” to its users.
Speaking of the association, Gaurav Munjal, Co-Founder and CEO, Unacademy Group, said: “Our focus at Unacademy has been to democratise education and create holistic learning solutions that go beyond traditional forms of education. Sachin’s life and journey are a beacon to the values of resilience and determination in the face of insurmountable odds.”
Gaurav Munjal
“With this partnership, we are creating an unmatched learning experience by having Sachin share his life lessons with our learners and coach them,” Munjal added.
Unacademy is said to be developing a deeper content-led integration with Sachin in the sports learning category, which will be unveiled in the next few months.
Talking of his association with the brand, Sachin stated,
“I have always believed in the power of sports as a medium that not only unifies people but also gives invaluable lessons, which can help individuals in any walk of life. It has always been my endeavour to share my learnings of the game with young girls and boys and inspire them to be the best version of themselves. When my vision matched with Unacademy’s mission to democratise education, we decided to come together to create a unique learning experience.”
Incidentally, Sachin isn’t the first high-profile name to associate with edtech in India.
Unacademy’s biggest competitor BYJU’S (which is also India’s most valued edtech startup) has had Shah Rukh Khan as its brand ambassador for several years.
Meanwhile, professional courses provider Great Learning signed up Virat Kohli in 2020, while K-12 education platform Eduauraa, which distributes learning content through an OTT-like model, counts Ranveer Singh as its brand ambassador.
Prior to this, Unacademy has also held masterclasses by actors Deepika Padukone and Anushka Sharma. Given the brand influence of cricketers and Bollywood actors in India, such associations have now become the norm.
