Kerala to rope in Steffi Graf to promote ayurveda

KOCHI: The Kerala government has given its approval to a proposal to rope in tennis legend Steffi Graf to promote Kerala ayurveda globally. Chief minister Oommen Chandy said the decision was taken during the Cabinet meeting held on Wednesday.

He said the Cabinet has given its go-ahead to the state’s tourism department to sign a formal agreement with the ace tennis player Steffi Graf in this regard. Tourism department officials said that “endorsement by Steffi Graf would do Kerala Ayurveda a world of good”.

“We have already held one round of discussion with her,” P I Sheik Pareeth, director of Kerala Tourism said. “She has evinced interest in working with Kerala tourism to promote ayurveda in the international arena. We decided to invite Steffi Graf because she showed interest in ayurveda,” he said.

The tourism department can now hold a final round of discussion with the former world No. 1 tennis star, and formalise the association. The 46-year-old has won 22 Grand Slams in her career. She retired in 1999 and married US tennis star Andre Agassi in 2001.

During her career, Graf won 107 singles titles, which ranks her third on the WTA’s all-time list after Martina Navratilova (167 titles) and Chris Evert (157 titles).