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Tag: #SportsForAll

  • HCLFoundation’s Sports for Change National Finals empower 600 athletes

    HCLFoundation’s Sports for Change National Finals empower 600 athletes

    HCLFoundation, the corporate social responsibility arm of HCLTech, on Tuesday said it hosted the eighth edition of the Sports for Change National Finals 2026 at Gautam Buddha University, bringing together 600 young athletes from 15 states over three days.

    The Sports for Change National Finals empower grassroots talent by giving underserved children a platform to compete at the national level, the foundation said in a statement.

    The three-day event featured 300 boys and 300 girls who had qualified through district, state and zonal competitions in football, kabaddi, volleyball, kho kho, archery, badminton and table tennis.

    Participants represented states and union territories including Uttar Pradesh, Ladakh, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Karnataka, West Bengal, Assam, Sikkim and Nagaland, the foundation said.

    “At HCLFoundation, we believe every child, regardless of their socio-economic background, deserves the opportunity to discover their potential and pursue their aspirations,” said Dr. Nidhi Pundhir, Senior Vice President, Global CSR at HCLTech and Director of HCLFoundation.

    “By nurturing grassroots talent and fostering an environment where young athletes are encouraged to dream bigger, build resilience and strive for excellence, we hope the National Finals inspire every participant to realize that their circumstances need not define their future.”

    The Sports for Change programme has reached more than 74,000 children and youth across India since inception, including 474 para-athletes, the foundation said.

    More than 12,000 young athletes took part in this year’s competitions, and over 30 sports scholarships covering coaching, equipment, nutrition and training access will be awarded to top performers.

    The initiative has enabled more than 490 athletes to advance to national-level competitions, with 38 going on to represent India internationally, the foundation said.

    Notable alumni include badminton player Jerlin Anika, sprinter Preeti Pal, rugby player Akshaya, powerlifter Rajkumari and chess player Kanishri.

    HCLFoundation said it has positively impacted more than 8.5 million lives to date through programmes focused on education, grassroots sports, health, sanitation, skill development, livelihood and environmental initiatives.

    HCLTech, its parent company, employs more than 223,000 people across 60 countries and reported consolidated revenues of USD 14.8 billion for the 12 months ended June 2026.

  • Visually impaired Cricket CSR: Maruti Suzuki’s eParivartan drive hits the pitch

    Visually impaired Cricket CSR: Maruti Suzuki’s eParivartan drive hits the pitch

    Maruti Suzuki India Limited hosted a series of cricket matches with visually impaired players under its employee volunteering CSR initiative, ‘eParivartan‘, bringing together corporate employees and athletes from the Cricket Association for the Blind, Delhi (CABD) in a bid to champion social inclusion.

    The matches, held at the fully accessible SportsCube Center for Excellence in Sector 70, Gurgaon, saw two 10-over games played between Maruti Suzuki staff and CABD cricketers. The visually impaired cricket CSR event followed official blind cricket guidelines, incorporating audible balls and adapted rules for batting, bowling, and fielding. CABD won both matches.

    The initiative, part of the company’s broader eParivartan employee volunteering program, is designed to foster empathy, respect, and cross-community teamwork among corporate employees.

    “Playing alongside these remarkable cricketers reminded our team of their incredible talent, determination, and spirit,” said Rahul Bharti, Senior Executive Officer, Corporate Affairs, Maruti Suzuki India in a statement.

    “Such interactions help us nurture empathy, embrace the spirit of equality, and inspire us to grow as more holistic human beings.”

    Maruti Suzuki also presented cricket kits to the CABD as part of the event.

    The visually impaired cricket CSR drive is one of more than 30 community activities logged under eParivartan in FY 2025–26, during which over 1,100 employees volunteered more than 2,600 hours, positively impacting upwards of 8,700 individuals across health, education, and youth engagement programmes.

    The Cricket Association for the Blind in India (CABI), with which CABD is affiliated, governs blind cricket nationally and has been instrumental in expanding opportunities for visually impaired athletes across the country.