Sports in India has a very rich history. Even before the British invasion, sports was very prominent in various classes of society. Its popularity has gained famous sportspersons with a lot of love and appreciation. They serve as an inspiration to the youth, who are keen to follow them in every facet of life. This popularity is attractive for companies who often sign these sportspersons as their brand ambassadors. However, when it comes to spending on training and building infrastructure for Olympic and rural sports, very few companies are making any difference.
Companies Spending their CSR funds on Sports
Real Madrid Foundation establishes Social Sports Schools in Varanasi
With an aim to promote the holistic development of young people through the practice of football in India, ROADIS – a Madrid headquartered multinational leader in the investment, development, operation, and management of global infrastructure assets has launched Social Sports Schools in Varanasi in collaboration with the Real Madrid Foundation (RMF) – branch of the renowned Real Madrid Club managing its social and educational programs worldwide, and KHUSHI – an NGO established by cricket icon Kapil Dev to support underprivileged children.
The initiative aims to train in values over 200 first-generation learners from grades 2nd to 8th, providing them with the essential tools to navigate challenges and unlock their full potential. The program will train boys and girls to ensure equal opportunities for both. In the first phase, the program is launched in two schools – Primary School Daffi and Composite Vidyalaya Naveen in Varanasi. Through the program, the students will receive an experience that will complete their education, life skill, development and nutrition requirements.
The RMF program is a transformative initiative that leverages the power of football to instill values and foster a culture of integrity among young students, while simultaneously nurturing essential life skills and important values like respect, teamwork, autonomy, self-esteem, health, equality and motivation. To ensure international level of training for the local coaches that include both female and male educators; the trainers were trained on the Real Madrid methodology by RMF specialized football trainer who visited Varanasi for a 3-day training camp. This camp empowered the local educators to carry forward the program with the same commitment and excellence as that of RMF.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s Made of Bold Sports Development Programme
With a vision to unearth talent and nurture athletic champions from across regions, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) announced the Made of Bold Sports Development Programme launch in December 2024.
“The Made of Bold initiative is an integral part of RCB’s broader vision of a Sports Forward Nation, which seeks to establish a sustainable and robust sporting ecosystem for India. This endeavour aims to identify and nurture athletes and initiate dialogue among key industry stakeholders for active sports development in the country. This is not only for the identified and nurtured talent but also for the socio-economic impact on the community. We aim to do this with RCB’s Made of Bold Sports Development Programme in support of long-term development with a focus on bridging the gaps with underserved communities via the medium of sports,” said Rajesh Menon, Vice President & Head of Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
Made of Bold Sports Development Program was created by RCB in partnership with non-profit sports organisations, such as the GoSports Foundation and Bridges of Sports Foundation. The carefully conceptualised program offers comprehensive support, including education, training, and nutrition, while leveraging the power of sports to help integrate this tribal community of North Karnataka into mainstream sports.
The Programme will provide targeted local support to 25 junior athletes training under the Bridges of Sports Foundation. It will initially engage over 400 children in a dynamic 2-tier league, with the 25 top performers receiving comprehensive training through 300 sessions that offer holistic support for state and national competitions. Additionally, two exceptional athletes will benefit from advanced training under exceptional team coaches and therapists who have previously worked with multiple Olympic medallists as part of the performance program initiated by the Bridges of Sports Foundation in the United Kingdom.
The Sachin Tendulkar Foundation and Mann Deshi Champions inaugurate sporting facility in Satara
The Sachin Tendulkar Foundation (STF), in collaboration with its partner Mann Deshi Champions, inaugurated a modern sporting facility in Satara, Maharashtra in December 2024. The event marked Sara Tendulkar’s first visit as a director of STF. The new facility, inaugurated by Sachin Tendulkar, Anjali Tendulkar and Sara Tendulkar features world-class amenities including courts for basketball and badminton, indoor wrestling and boxing areas, classrooms, administration offices, and hostels for 150 athletes. This development aims to empower rural youth by providing them with access to high-quality sports training and opportunities.
CSR of STF
GoSports Foundation’s partnership with Nithin Kamath’s Rainmatter
GoSports Foundation, a non-profit working for Indian sports, has partnered with Rainmatter, a venture fund by Zerodha to support companies working in the area of health, climate & finance. The partnership marks a significant milestone in the foundation’s quest to support India’s athletes and build the national sports ecosystem with capacity, funding and systems.
Rainmatter’s grant will enable GoSports Foundation to focus on enhanced systems and processes, leadership development and legacy-building projects that will drive forward organisational effectiveness and the momentum towards its mission of enabling sports excellence.
Nithin Kamath, Founder & CEO at Zerodha & Rainmatter, stated, “India has sporting talent but we also need to develop systems and processes around coaching and athlete development to make these players truly world class. This needs structured and long-term planning to develop an inclusive & sustainable sports ecosystem in India. Rainmatter is glad to partner with GoSports Foundation and is committed to supporting their efforts to create more athletes in India that all of us can be proud of.”
The capacity-building grant will aid the GoSports Foundation to make internal investments in its team, technology and systems to enhance its efficiency and impact as it continues its mission to enable sports excellence in India.
IndusInd Bank empowering Indian Para-athletes for the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games
IndusInd Bank in August this year announced its partnership with the Paralympic Committee of India (PCI) as the Official Banking Partner. This partnership underlines the Bank’s commitment to elevate the Indian para-athletes, reinforcing its belief in the inclusive and transformational power of sports through its sports vertical, ‘IndusInd For Sports’.
PCI and IndusInd Bank are committed to improving para-sports and supporting the Paralympic movement in India. PCI and Bank’s goal is to help athletes with disabilities reach their full potential by upgrading facilities, providing better resources, and creating an inclusive environment that recognizes their achievements. PCI aims to work with different partners to keep the inspiring spirit of the Paralympic Games alive and advance para-sports throughout the country.
This year, with Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, IndusInd Bank has come up with an all new campaign, ‘#HarKadamJeetKa’ at the forefront, to emphasize on the fact that the Bank has been the pioneer in supporting Indian para-athletes and has been supportive in every step of their journey so far. The Bank is dedicated to encouraging diverse participation and supporting talented athletes from all backgrounds. This commitment not only promotes individual talent but also fosters a sense of national pride through sporting achievements, aiming to spotlight the journeys of para-athletes and inspire widespread support for their success.
CSR of K.C. Mahindra Education Trust
The K.C. Mahindra Education Trust recently announced the re-defined intervention from Project Nanhi Kali with an innovative campaign that integrates football into the curriculum for underprivileged schoolgirls across India. This campaign, created by Ogilvy, underscores the Trust’s commitment to holistic education, blending academic learning with essential life skills acquired through sports.
K. C. Mahindra Education Trust started Project Nanhi Kali to encourage and support underprivileged girls to complete 10 years of schooling. In alignment with the National Education Policy which advocates integration of sports as part of the curriculum Project Nanhi Kali is introducing the girls to the game of football.
Project Nanhi Kali’s campaign film captures the transformative power of football on young girls, highlighting real-life stories of schoolgirls from across India who are part of this program. These girls are not just learning to play football; they are gaining confidence, leadership skills, and a sense of self-worth that transcends the football field. The film is a testament to how sports can be a powerful vehicle for change, teaching values such as teamwork, perseverance, and resilience.
Project Nanhi Kali has transformed the lives of more than 700,000 girls across India, the trust claims in a statement.
Partnership between Conscient Sports and Real Madrid Foundation
In a significant step set to transform the future of football in India, the Real Madrid Foundation — branch of the renowned Real Madrid Club managing its football programs worldwide announced a pioneering partnership with Conscient Sports in July this year. This collaboration is dedicated to fostering young football at the grassroots level, combining Real Madrid Foundation and Real Madrid’s legendary football philosophy with Conscient Sports’ extensive expertise and dedication to Indian football. Conscient Sports is the exclusive partner of Real Madrid Foundation in India to develop the football program for the country.
“Real Madrid’s legacy of excellence finds a perfect partner in Conscient Sports, whose unparalleled expertise and dedication to grassroots development in India are second to none,” said Emilio Butragueno, Legend, Director – Real Madrid Institutional Relations and Official Spokesperson. He further added, “Conscient Sports’ extensive knowledge of the Indian football landscape and their relentless pursuit of excellence make them the ideal ally for our mission. There is no better partner in India to help us realize our vision of nurturing young football talent.”
The training methodology of Real Madrid Foundation and Real Madrid blends the traditional football ethos with modern coaching philosophies. It offers unique experiences tailored for the young footballers and families, complementing mainstream education. This approach aims to enhance developmental goals, including leadership skills. The platform not only advances sporting abilities but also fosters high-performance individuals, inspired by Real Madrid’s. The programme’s curated experiences create an enriching environment for student growth in positive life values.
CSR of Hyundai Motor India Foundation
Hyundai Motor India Foundation (HMIF) and GoSports Foundation announced in March this year the launch of ‘Samarth Para-Sports Programme’. It is a comprehensive initiative aimed to identify and train India’s next generation of Paralympic stars. The programme aims to create a holistic platform for para-athletes while creating opportunities and leaving a lasting mark on the future of Indian para-sports.
The programme will identify talented athletes across six key sports, including Para-athletics, Para-swimming, Para-badminton, Wheelchair tennis, Para-archery, and Para-cycling. It welcomes both emerging athletes (aged 13-20) and elite athletes (aged 16 and above). Participants will benefit from structured support, including financial aid, expert sports science guidance, access to assistive devices for sports and livelihood, assistance in soft skill development, and mentorship from renowned coaches and experts.
Hyundai Motor India Foundation announced the inauguration of a state-of-the-art ‘Sports Lab Fitness Centre’ in Hisar, Haryana, as part of the expansion of its flagship Sports Lab project in July this year. This underscores HMIF’s commitment to nurturing young talent and promoting excellence in sports at the grassroots level.
The newly established Sports Lab Fitness Centre aims to provide budding athletes with top-notch training facilities and expert guidance to enhance their physical fitness and overall performance through specialised therapies and sports injury rehabilitation. Equipped with modern fitness equipment and staffed by certified trainers, the centre is designed to meet the diverse needs of athletes across various sports disciplines.
CSR of OYO for grassroot football development
Global hospitality technology company OYO announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with India Khelo Football (IKF), a prominent organization committed to promoting football at the grassroots level across India this month. This partnership will see OYO providing accommodation solutions for players, coaches, and officials involved in IKF’s nationwide football initiatives, ensuring they have a comfortable and reliable place to stay during training camps, tournaments, and events.
The partnership begins with the trials of India Khelo Football Season 4 in more than 100 cities and villages across India. OYO will provide accommodation in its network of hotels as part of this partnership.
India Khelo Football’s initiatives include organizing talent scouting programs, providing training sessions with professional coaches, and hosting tournaments that give young players the exposure they need toprogress in their football careers. The partnership with OYO will ensure that participants have access to comfortable and safe accommodations, allowing them to perform at their best during these critical developmental stages. The initiative is a part of OYO’s ongoing program to strengthen its sports hospitality business by actively promoting sports at grassroot level.
Baazi Sports Foundation Fellowship for junior cricketers
Poker platform PokerBaazi, in collaboration with sports-tech company Push Sports announced the Baazi Sports Foundation Fellowship in May 2023. Part of PokerBaazi’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) vision, this fellowship program aims to provide promising junior cricketers (under 19 years) with a year-long fellowship to enhance and hone their skills through focused technical training and competitive exposure.
With a focus on nurturing talent across different sporting categories, the Baazi Sports Foundation Fellowship empowers the next generation of cricket stars through a comprehensive solution comprising avenues to strengthen their training, financial support and an opportunity to be mentored by seasoned cricketers to better their game.
Annually, a cohort of promising participants is selected based on their potential and dedication to the sport. These selected athletes receive personalized guidance and training from seasoned cricket professionals. They are also given the opportunity to compete in both domestic and international tournaments, providing them with crucial competitive exposure. Additionally, the fellowship provides financial support to the participants, offering INR 10,000 per month for living expenses and INR 15,000 per month to cover training fees. To further aid in their development, the fellowship includes high-quality cricket equipment valued between INR 25,000 and 50,000, comprising essentials such as bats, pads, gloves, helmets, and other necessary gear for their cricketing endeavors.
For the scholarship, candidates must meet certain eligibility criteria such as they must be Indian citizens under the age of 19 and having previously represented their state in cricket.
Jindal Sports Hostel
The pioneering Jindal Sports Hostel is a project by Jindal Steel & Power (JSP) Foundation. Situated in Soyabali, Keonjhar District, the hostel aims to foster rural sports talents, providing top-notch residential amenities for 60 handpicked children. The facility represents an initiative to empower underprivileged youths, instilling discipline and teamwork while nurturing their sports and academic abilities. The vision is to shape them into future champions and leaders for India.
Shallu Jindal, Chairperson of the JSP Foundation, emphasized the hostel’s role as a platform for equitable education and sports development, promising comprehensive support for the tribal-majority region’s children to excel in their respective fields. Jindal said, “We believe that education and sports are essential for the development of youths. This hostel is another step forward by JSP Foundation towards creating a more prosperous and equitable India by providing equitable opportunities to underprivileged students. The hostel will nurture the sports and education career of residents by providing them with the best of the facilities, nutrition, coaching, schooling and skilling”. She assured all the children of the tribal predominant region of Barbil with all-round support in the field of sports and education to grow in their respective fields.
Tata Steel’s Commitment to sports
Tata Steel has been one of the foremost corporate promoters of Indian sports – having built academies for football, archery, athletics, hockey and sport climbing. The company has been consistently involved in creating and nurturing professional Sportspersons through its academies and grassroots feeder centres.
In 1984, Tata Steel set up its Tata Youth Adventure Centre, known today as the Tata Steel Adventure Foundation. Three years later in 1987, the company launched the Tata Football Academy. Tata Archery Academy was established in 1996, which has produced many champion players like Deepika Kumari Jayanta Talukdar, Atanu Das, Limba Ram etc. who have gone on to represent India in Olympics.
Indian athletics, too, received a boost when Tata Steel unveiled the Tata Athletics Academy in 2004. In 2017, Tata Steel for the first time stepped into the commercial side of sports when it started Jamshedpur Football Club (JFC), which competes in India’s premier football League the ISL. The same year saw the emergence of the Naval Tata Hockey Academy. Tata Steel started this as a joint venture with Tata Trust with an aim to train the budding hockey enthusiasts and in turn bring back the glory of Indian Hockey at the International arena.
Tata Steel has also been running training centres of 19 different sports disciplines in the JRD Sports Complex in Jamshedpur training close to 2500 kids every year.
Reliance Foundation’s Young Champs Programme
The Reliance Foundation Young Champs programme was launched in 2015 with the aim of providing top football talent in the country between 12 to 16 years of age. It is a platform to grow and develop. The players were scouted through the Indian Super League’s (ISL) grassroots initiatives.
Young Champs is a unique, full scholarship based, full-time residential football and education program run in Navi Mumbai. The children live at Beverly Park, a Reliance owned state-of-the-art guest house and study at the Reliance Foundation School. The programme seeks to provide aspiring football talents from across India the opportunity to hone their skills with world-class facilities and best-in-class training. Reliance Foundation has given out 79 scholarships so far.
The Young Champs programme is an integral part of the Indian Super League’s commitment to nurture football at the grassroots and elite youth level, while ensuring full life potential for our young talent. The Young Champs recently enjoyed an experience of a lifetime when they were hosted by the Premier League in the UK for ten days to play matches and train with the Premier League Club Youth teams.
Hindustan Zinc’s Zinc Football Programme
Hindustan Zinc has initiated a massive program directed at achieving grassroots development as well as excellence in football in Rajasthan.
The company has set up ZF schools that use football as a tool for social development and ensures that young kids have a platform to express themselves through football. With the philosophy that “every child should have an opportunity to play”, ZF has set up 12 community football centres where 350+ boys and girls receive football training by certified coaches.
In order to nurture the talent further, it has set up ZF academy to develop future football stars for the country. At the heart of this initiative is a Residential Academy with world-class facilities at Zawar and the country’s first-ever ‘technology-hinged football training’ centre. The Academy is currently training 40 children where they are coached using innovative training programs with equal emphasis on learning and playing.
