I have always believed sport to be one of the simplest ways to obtain maximum joy. In a developing nation like ours, where there are still places with less opportunities for children to enjoy the joys and freedom of childhood, sport offers a much-needed break from daily hardships. For children who face several challenges growing up and need to support their families, the opportunity to play a sport, any sport, can be life changing. It can generate hope, confidence and joy that helps them go further than they ever imagined.
By ‘sport,’ I do not mean competitive sport at the highest professional levels, although that is always a possibility. I mean ‘sport’ as play, as an outlet for every child’s inborn competitive spirit and creativity. At the Sachin Tendulkar Foundation , Sports for Development (S4D) is one of our three pillars, alongside health and education. We believe playing sport gives children the chance to discover their potential.
Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel.
The benefits of ‘sport’ and ‘play’ on children’s development have been widely documented by organisations like UNICEF and should not be limited to those who can afford lessons, equipment, and classes. That is why the Sachin Tendulkar Foundation brings sport to children in underserved and overlooked communities across our country. And I have seen the successes that have resulted from our efforts.
Some of the children the Foundation serves live in the tribal area of Jawhar in Maharashtra, without easy access to running water or reliable electricity. Their parents work as daily wage labourers and their families focus on survival, not on long-term plans for the future.
Girls are expected to help at home, are rarely given a chance to play, and are married early. Yet, through sports training and mentorship provided by the STF, children like Kavita and Prakash’s confidence has grown and they realised they could achieve much more than what society expects from them. Today, both have become the first in their families to complete their Bachelor’s degrees, and Prakash now works at a private company.
In the tribal villages of West Bengal, where certain societal ills are prevalent, Sonali, Baisakhi, Purnima, and Swapna started to play football as part of our S4D initiative. They competed in tournaments and put the skills and leadership they developed to good use both on and off the field. Sonali plays for the Kolkata First Division League and is in her second year of college. Baisakhi is also in her second year at Bardhaman University and plays in the university team.
Purnima is preparing to sit for her police entrance examinations and Swapna fought against her alcoholic father to be allowed to continue her education and play football. Today, she is sitting for her Class XII board exams, is teaching children in her village, and was part of the Shreeja India Team that won the Reliance Foundation Youth Sports league 2025. Through sport, all these girls discovered their talents and have given back to their families and communities. Many parents were initially hesitant to allow their children to participate in sports because they didn’t think it had any value, but they have since been tremendously proud as their sons and daughters achieved milestones that they thought were impossible.
Some might not have ever imagined a future beyond daily wage labour for their children, and yet today, they see them pursuing higher education, stable careers, and financial independence.
Parents have told us things like, “I am learning along with my children,” or “no sense in discriminating between boys and girls, both need to study and get ahead in life,” and “we told our daughter we won’t stand in her way.”
Anyone who has experienced the power of sports can make a difference by giving back in any way they can. For some, it may be funding and philanthropy. For others, it can be providing a safe space to play or offer mentorship. These can be lifechanging for a child who has never had either. The joy of playing lies in the freedom provided to the children, the sense that we are all equal, and the exhilaration of trying to do your best. When I think of children in India’s remotest corners, I imagine them running free, dreaming without limits, and knowing they belong. As responsible citizens, we can ensure that every child has the chance to experience this. Together — one field, one coach, one child at a time — we can create a future where every young Indian has the opportunity to thrive and create a better future for themselves, their families, communities, and our country.
(SACHIN TENDULKAR HAS WRITTEN THIS ARTICLE ON THE OCCASION OF INTERNATIONAL DAY OF SPORT FOR DEVELOPMENT AND PEACE)
By ‘sport,’ I do not mean competitive sport at the highest professional levels, although that is always a possibility. I mean ‘sport’ as play, as an outlet for every child’s inborn competitive spirit and creativity. At the Sachin Tendulkar Foundation , Sports for Development (S4D) is one of our three pillars, alongside health and education. We believe playing sport gives children the chance to discover their potential.
Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel.
The benefits of ‘sport’ and ‘play’ on children’s development have been widely documented by organisations like UNICEF and should not be limited to those who can afford lessons, equipment, and classes. That is why the Sachin Tendulkar Foundation brings sport to children in underserved and overlooked communities across our country. And I have seen the successes that have resulted from our efforts.
Some of the children the Foundation serves live in the tribal area of Jawhar in Maharashtra, without easy access to running water or reliable electricity. Their parents work as daily wage labourers and their families focus on survival, not on long-term plans for the future.
Girls are expected to help at home, are rarely given a chance to play, and are married early. Yet, through sports training and mentorship provided by the STF, children like Kavita and Prakash’s confidence has grown and they realised they could achieve much more than what society expects from them. Today, both have become the first in their families to complete their Bachelor’s degrees, and Prakash now works at a private company.
In the tribal villages of West Bengal, where certain societal ills are prevalent, Sonali, Baisakhi, Purnima, and Swapna started to play football as part of our S4D initiative. They competed in tournaments and put the skills and leadership they developed to good use both on and off the field. Sonali plays for the Kolkata First Division League and is in her second year of college. Baisakhi is also in her second year at Bardhaman University and plays in the university team.
Purnima is preparing to sit for her police entrance examinations and Swapna fought against her alcoholic father to be allowed to continue her education and play football. Today, she is sitting for her Class XII board exams, is teaching children in her village, and was part of the Shreeja India Team that won the Reliance Foundation Youth Sports league 2025. Through sport, all these girls discovered their talents and have given back to their families and communities. Many parents were initially hesitant to allow their children to participate in sports because they didn’t think it had any value, but they have since been tremendously proud as their sons and daughters achieved milestones that they thought were impossible.
Some might not have ever imagined a future beyond daily wage labour for their children, and yet today, they see them pursuing higher education, stable careers, and financial independence.
Parents have told us things like, “I am learning along with my children,” or “no sense in discriminating between boys and girls, both need to study and get ahead in life,” and “we told our daughter we won’t stand in her way.”
Anyone who has experienced the power of sports can make a difference by giving back in any way they can. For some, it may be funding and philanthropy. For others, it can be providing a safe space to play or offer mentorship. These can be lifechanging for a child who has never had either. The joy of playing lies in the freedom provided to the children, the sense that we are all equal, and the exhilaration of trying to do your best. When I think of children in India’s remotest corners, I imagine them running free, dreaming without limits, and knowing they belong. As responsible citizens, we can ensure that every child has the chance to experience this. Together — one field, one coach, one child at a time — we can create a future where every young Indian has the opportunity to thrive and create a better future for themselves, their families, communities, and our country.
(SACHIN TENDULKAR HAS WRITTEN THIS ARTICLE ON THE OCCASION OF INTERNATIONAL DAY OF SPORT FOR DEVELOPMENT AND PEACE)
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