Why Da One Group is not just a brand wrapper
Most retired cricketers launch a brand or two and call it a portfolio. Shikhar Dhawan is building something structurally different: a proper conglomerate backed by a formal venture capital vehicle, with physical infrastructure to match the equity on paper. At the center is Da One Group — a holding entity spanning the Shikhar Dhawan Foundation, Da One Sports, and celebrity investments. In early May 2026, ET reported the launch of a High Performance Centre under Da One Sports in Gwalior, marking the shift from concept to concrete infrastructure.
Yashaa Global Capital: entering VC as a General Partner
Alongside the operating side sits Yashaa Global Capital, positioned as a formal fund with Dhawan in a General Partner-level founder role — giving him credibility in VC conversations that most cricketer-investors simply don’t have. VCCircle’s 2025 coverage framed this as his entry into structured venture capital, with a stated focus on sports, consumer, health, and fitness startups. The distinction between “celebrity who invests” and “GP who runs a fund” is significant, and Dhawan is clearly trying to claim the latter identity.
QUE eyewear and the consumer brand play
On the consumer brand side, QUE Universe, the eyewear label, lists Dhawan as co-owner and partner — a more committed position than a typical brand ambassador role. Earlier, he backed SARVA, the yoga and wellness platform, as an investor. Each bet aligns with the health, sports, and lifestyle themes his fund targets.
What makes his model different from the rest
His off-field image is building coherently: someone who wants to be taken seriously as a business builder, not just a cricket legend lending his face to other people’s companies. The Gwalior High Performance Centre is the clearest proof — bricks, mortar, and a real programme, not a press release. At this pace, that reputation is being earned on the ground.