Organisers of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Torch Relay have selected Atul Gupta, Chairman and Managing Director of Sahara, a national supplier of ICT and digital lifestyle product, to participate in the South African leg of the event.
Gupta, who heads up Sahara, an established OEM and global provider of digital lifestyle and information technology, will form part of a select contingent of local torchbearers.
The 2008 Beijing Olympic Torch Relay is the prelude to the Olympic Games and takes place over a period of 100 days.
It represents the worldwide route that torchbearers take in transporting the Olympic flame to eventually arrive at the official opening of the Games.
"I am honoured to be included as part of the group of torchbearers to participate in the South African leg of the relay. It is a truly unique occasion, one that few people ever get to experience," said Gupta.
Each torchbearer is obliged to follow a strict programme, formulated and applied by organisers, which indicates routes to follow, itinerary, codes of conduct, general rules and key points of consideration.
All torchbearers are required to run a distance of 200 metres - but this can be extended or shortened at the discretion of organisers.
"There is a great deal of symbolism attached to this responsibility. For me, personally, it is representative of everything that we have built in South Africa and all that we continue to achieve and re-invest in order to transfer value to individuals and communities. In many respects, technology is a flame that is symbolic of hope, of life and of liberty to many people across the world," adds Gupta.
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Established in 1997, Sahara Computers assembles and markets PCs and peripherals through a global distribution network that covers both established and emerging markets.
The company is an official distributor and original equipment manufacturer (OEM) for a variety of top international vendors, including: AMD, Creative, Delta, Epson, Foxconn, Intel, Lexmark, Maxtor, Microsoft, Samsung, SMC Networks and Symantec.
The core focus of Sahara's operation is the consistent and effective supply of product to rapidly expanding market sectors, including corporate, government, digital lifestyle and mobile and wireless.
This operation is managed via the company's head office in Midrand, Gauteng, considered a central business hub. The Sahara business network stretches across South Africa and includes Cape Town, Durban and Port Elizabeth.
Sahara Computers has successfully extended its reach to key regions and emerging global markets including Dubai, China and India. The Sahara brand is also well known across Africa, with established company presence in countries like Botswana, Kenya, Mozambique and Namibia.
Sahara is also an accredited member of the Proudly South African campaign as well as the Savant global SA brand awareness initiative. Corporate social responsibility is a key priority and it continues to contribute towards projects and programmes aimed at individual and community upliftment.
The name Sahara is widely associated with the development of sport, including soccer, cricket, and rugby, the support of ICT literacy and skills development initiatives, and access to much needed technology in rural areas.
Among the many sponsorship/technology supply agreements in place, Sahara also concluded a deal with Mamelodi Sundowns, a top ranking soccer club competing in South Africa's Professional Soccer League.
The sponsorship is underpinned by the provision of communications infrastructure and mobile technology - including laptops, notebooks and digital lifestyle technology - and signals Sahara's commitment to the club and South African soccer in general.
Effective marketing and generating awareness are significant elements of the company's ongoing marketing campaign.
Under the direction of Atul Gupta, Chairman and Managing Director of Sahara, the company is on course to realise its vision to become a truly global brand and premier IT supplier throughout Africa.
For more information on Sahara Computers, its products and services, visit www.sahara.co.za.
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