CHENNAI — HCLFoundation, which drives the corporate social responsibility agenda of global technology company HCLTech in India, today announced the commencement of the 7th edition of the Sports for Change (SFC) National Finals 2025, held at Sri Sivasubramaniya Nadar College, Chennai. The event was graced by Padma Shri, Mr. Achanta Sharath Kamal, Former Indian Table Tennis player and Vice-Chairperson of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) Athletes’ Commission.
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.
The 2025 edition featured 45 District Competitions, 9 State Championships, and 3 Zonal Competitions, culminating in the national finals. It covered a wide range of sports including team games like Football, Volleyball, Kabaddi, Basketball, Cricket, Touch Rugby, Kho-Kho, Handball, and Hockey; track and field events such as sprints, hurdles, jumps, shotput, javelin, and relay races; and individual games like Badminton, Table Tennis, Archery, Chess, and Carrom.
“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, please visit: hclfoundation.org/sports-for-change
Highlights – SFC Nationals 2025
SFC Updates since Inception
- Launched in 2016, the Sports for Change initiative has seen an approximate investment of ₹80 crore over the past nine years.
- 64,311 athletes (including 169 para-athletes) engaged through scouting, training, camps, outreach, and competitions.
- 50.7% female participation, showcasing a commitment to gender inclusion.
- 145 grassroots and elite coaches onboarded to mentor athletes.
- 192 scholarships awarded under HCLFoundation’s Power of One program.
- 149 admissions facilitated in schools and colleges through sports.
- 3 students secured government jobs via Sports Quota.
- 13 NGOs involved across 11 locations, providing professional coaching and facilities.
SFC Achievements
- 5,516 athletes competed at the District Level (Federation-recognized).
- 1,616 athletes represented at the State Level.
- 369 athletes reached National Level competitions.
- 18 athletes represented India at the International Level.
- Notable athletes from Chennai:
- Divya & Akshaya: Represented India in U-17 Rugby; now in U-20 National Camp.
- Kanishree: Para-athlete, Silver medalist in Chess at Asian Games.
- Anita: Kabaddi player, represented Tamil Nadu in National Games.
SFC Collaboration in Para Sports
- Wheelchair Basketball: 131 wheelchairs provided to 5 State Federations (TN, KA, AP, TS, UP).
- Blind Football: Supported Tamil Nadu Blind Football Association with equipment and player development.
- Para Cricket: Equipment support to Karnataka State Disability Commissioner.
- Paralympic Committee of India: Equipment support for Javelin, Shotput, Powerlifting & Boccia.
SFC Para Sports Achievements
- 169 para-athletes supported with training, nutrition, equipment, and travel.
- 10 athletes classified at international level.
- 16 athletes represented India internationally.
- Preethi Pal: Bronze in 100m & 200m at Paris Paralympics 2024; Arjuna Awardee.
- Jerlin Anika: 3 Golds at Deaflympics 2021; Arjuna Awardee.
- Kanishree: Silver in Chess at Para Asian Games 2021.
- Rajkumari: Bronze in Powerlifting at Para Asian Games 2023, Beijing.
Focus on Sports Infrastructure
- Major facilities created at:
- Kannagi Nagar (multi-sport community playground)
- Govt. ITI, Ambattur, Chennai
- Govt. Model Girls HSS, Avadi, Chennai
- Balamandiram School, Madurai
- Upper Primary School, Iteda, Noida
- Navjeevan Inter College, Noida
- Child-safe play spaces in 25+ government schools/communities across India:
- Chennai (10 Schools & 6 PBGC), Nagpur (3), Bengaluru (3), Ajmer (1), Noida (6), Lucknow (5)
MoUs signed for the sports development
- Tamil Nadu Police Commissionerate: 1,100+ athletes benefitting.
- Dept. of Employment & Training: Football grounds created; 347 athletes trained.
- Dept. of Sports, Govt. of UP: 5,000 students to be mainstreamed.
- Basic Shiksha Adhikari, Gautam Buddha Nagar: Mini Sports Complex for 300 elite athletes.
SFC Competition 2025 Update
- 12,256 students competed across 45 districts in 14 states in 2025 edition.
- 36,447 students have participated since inception.
- 758 top athletes from 14 states to compete in Nationals across multiple sports.
- 30 athletes to receive Power of One Sports Scholarships.
- 5 scholarships reserved for HCLTech Grant partners for rural sports development.
About HCLFoundation
HCLFoundation delivers the corporate social responsibility agenda of HCLTech in India. The Foundation contributes to national and international development goals by investing in long-term sustainable programs and special initiatives with thematic focus on education, nurturing grassroots sports, health and sanitation, skill development and livelihood, environment and disaster risk reduction and response management. To ensure equitable development, child protective strategies, inclusion and gender transformative approaches are at the core of all the programs of the Foundation. To date, the HCLFoundation has positively impacted over 7.5 million lives. To learn more visit www.hclfoundation.org
About HCLTech
HCLTech is a global technology company, home to more than 223,000 people across 60 countries, delivering industry-leading capabilities centered around digital, engineering, cloud and AI, powered by a broad portfolio of technology services and products. We work with clients across all major verticals, providing industry solutions for Financial Services, Manufacturing, Life Sciences and Healthcare, High Tech, Semiconductor, Telecom and Media, Retail and CPG and Public Services. Consolidated revenues as of 12 months ending June 2025 totaled $14.0 billion. To learn how we can supercharge progress for you, visit hcltech.com.
