HCLFoundation Sports for Change finds talent
This year’s edition of the Sports for Change
Competition brought together 12,256 young athletes from across India,
selected through a rigorous process involving training camps and multi-tier
qualifiers at the district, state, and zonal levels. The event culminated in
the participation of 758 top-performing children from 14 states,
including Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh,
Nagaland, Sikkim, Assam, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu,
Karnataka, and Kerala.
As part of the event, a significant milestone in
promoting inclusive sports was achieved with the distribution of 131
basketball wheelchairs to five State Federations—Tamil Nadu, Karnataka,
Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Uttar Pradesh—underscoring HCLFoundation’s
commitment to accessibility and empowerment through sports.
"At HCLFoundation, we believe in the
transformative power of sports to unlock potential and uplift young lives,
especially among underserved children and youth. Through our Sports for Change
(SFC) initiative, we are dedicated to bridging the access gap and advocating
for every child's right to play. By nurturing grassroots participation and
linking sports with key developmental outcomes, we are cultivating an
environment where talent flourishes, dreams are realized and future leaders
emerge as role models from within their communities," said Dr. Nidhi
Pundhir, SVP, Global CSR, HCLTech and Director, HCLFoundation.
Launched in 2017, Sports For Change is a unique
initiative that integrates sports into holistic education and empowers
underserved youth. The program has produced sporting talent who have gone on to
represent India at major international tournaments and bring home medals. To
date, the initiative has positively impacted over 64,000 young
athletes.
The impact in FY 2024–25 alone has
been remarkable: three athletes represented India on international
platforms, while eight girls from Delhi competed at the National Games
2025, showcasing the growing reach and effectiveness of the program. Among the
many success stories are Lekha Shree and Dhana Priya, who
secured jobs at Ernst & Young after gaining admission
to Reva University, Bengaluru, through sports quotas. Furthermore, the
initiative has cultivated a strong community leadership pipeline, with 72
alum athletes becoming community coaches, including 24 certified by
national sports federations. To know more about HCLFoundation’s Sports for
Change, visit: hclfoundation.org/sports-for-change
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