The association was an extension of the brand’s efforts to establish itself within the city after opening a store in Warud
Warud: Khandelwal Jewellers recently associated with the Warud Premier League, a local cricket tournament that has grown into a widely followed community event in the region. The association marks the brand’s first year of involvement with the league and comes close on the heels of the completion of one year of its Warud showroom, which opened near Kedar Chowk, one of the city’s main public squares.
According to Harshal Khandelwal, Director, Khandelwal Jewellers, the association was a natural extension of the brand’s efforts to establish itself within the city after opening the store. “We have been in touch with the Warud Premier League since we opened a store in that city. From the beginning, we have been working closely with prominent people and social groups to become part of the Warud social fabric,” he said.
Now in its third year, the Warud Premier League is organized primarily by a group of doctors and has steadily gained prominence in and around the region. Despite being a relatively small town, the tournament draws significant public interest. Matches attract physical audiences as well as viewers through YouTube and Facebook live streams. A large public screening is also set up close to Kedar Chowk, allowing residents to watch the matches together in a shared public setting.
“The audience turnout and the city’s involvement are very strong. Warud’s identity is closely attached to this cricket league,” Khandelwal said. “When you see that kind of participation, it makes complete sense to associate with it.”
This year’s Warud Premier League followed an auction-based format and was restricted to players from Warud district. A total of 300 players registered for the tournament, of which 190 were selected to form 10 teams which played against each other in a round-robin format. The jeweller not only associated with the league as a partner, but also worked alongside the organizers on aspects related to branding and publicity of the entire tournament. The intent, Khandelwal explained, was to contribute to the event’s overall presentation and visibility rather than restrict the association to logo placement alone. “We wanted to work with them to help elevate the event and support it in a more meaningful way,” he said.
Beyond the tournament itself, the association aligns with the brand’s existing engagement with professional communities, particularly doctors. The organizers of the league being from the medical fraternity was a factor that resonated with the jeweller’s ongoing outreach efforts. “Doctors have always had a strong connection with our brand. Across our branches, they form an important customer segment, and we have built long-standing relationships with them,” Khandelwal said.
Over the past year, Khandelwal Jewellers has hosted multiple dinners and interactions with medical associations across Vidarbha, engaging with over 2,000 doctors through these initiatives. The brand has also begun extending similar outreach to the education sector, holding financial literacy seminars and interactive sessions with teachers, professors and school administrators across cities. “At these events, we interact directly with a few hundred people at a time. The focus is always on personal interaction and understanding the community better,” Khandelwal elaborated.
By associating with the Warud Premier League, Khandelwal Jewellers successfully built brand familiarity through sustained local engagement. The jeweller currently operates seven retail stores across Maharashtra, with three stores in Akola, and one each in Mumbai, Buldhana, Washim and Warud.
Written by Aparna Bhowmick
Retail Jeweller India Exclusive
