Mysuru: The District Administration has decided to invite private and government sector companies to sponsor Dasara events including cultural programmes,Yuva Dasara, Dasara Wrestling and Yoga Dasara.

At a meeting of industrialists and company representatives, Deputy Commissioner D. Randeep, who is also the Dasara Special Officer, said that inviting sponsorship will give an opportunity for companies to display their products and ideas. It will help in brand enhancement as lakhs of visitors will visit the nine-day cultural extravaganza.

Addressing participants of the meeting, Randeep said that the Administration was spending Rs. 2 crore for the conduct of the festivities and the government has granted only Rs. 1 crore. “We would need sponsorships and it will be a give-and-take arrangement where companies can reap the benefits of sponsorships and can set up banners at vantage points to get more views,” he said.

He said that business worth crores of rupees is generated during Dasara and it was the best time for companies to advertise their products and sponsor the programmes. While the government invested Rs. 1 crore, the rest of the money came from sponsors, ticket sales and other services.

Sponsors can come from both government and private companies and the District Administration can facilitate sponsorships by dividing different segments of the celebrations. Main events are cultural performances, Aahara Mela, Jumboo Savari, Torch Light Parade and others, he added.

It may be recalled here that in the past, TVS Motors, State Bank of Mysore, Karnataka Silk Industries Corporation Limited, Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited, Mysore Sales International Limited, Karnataka Soaps & Detergents Limited had sponsored different segments of Dasara.

While the illuminated Mysore Palace and public performances in it were the biggest crowd-pullers, attracting nearly 25,000 visitors every day, the Yuva Dasara is other major attraction. On an average, the celebrations drew nearly 50,000 to 1 lakh people a day, he said.