Muktesh Pant has resigned as chief marketing officer of Reebok International Ltd in order to start a yoga business based out of India.
Pant had relocated to the US in November 2001 after serving as managing director of Reebok India.
Announcing his resignation, the company said Pant had decided "to pursue his life-long dream of establishing a business that connects him to his roots in India, a country where wellness of the mind, body and spirit is held in high regard and serves as the very essence of the Indian culture".
Pant could not be reached for comments. But sources close to him said he would soon be returning from Boston to India. Pant is known to be a fitness fanatic.
He will be replaced by Dennis Baldwin, Reebok's senior vice-president for global footwear, who came on board in 1995.
Pant was among the first Indian executives picked up by Reebok for international assignments. After him, Harpreet Singh Thind, marketing manager of Reebok India, joined Reebok's regional headquarters in Hong Kong as marketing director (Asia-Pacific).
Dhruv Parashar, in charge of the retail environment in India, took over as the head of retail operations in the Asia-Pacific and Johnny John, the apparel head, also moved to Hong Kong in the same capacity.