Marking half a decade of serving the less-privileged and the needy in ways that enable them to believe and take the lead, the Sachin Tendulkar Foundation (STF) held a close-knit celebration in Mumbai at The Bombay Club.

Tributes and acknowledgements from friends, family, well-wishers, and non-profit partners, paved the event as STF reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring better living with primary focus areas of health, education, and sports for children.

The theme of the evening, “Shine Brighter Together” shed light on the Foundation’s core idea of impacting lives, especially children through sports, health and education.

For Sara Tendulkar, daughter of former India cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, who recently donned the mantle of Director at the Foundation, the evening was her first official engagement. Stepping on the path shown by her parents at such a young age, Sara brings in a fresh perspective of connecting with the youth and helping them take flight with their aspirations.

Reflecting on her family’s commitment to bettering lives and the transformative potential of the Foundation’s initiatives, Sara said, ” Growing up, I was always inspired by my family, who shaped my understanding of the power of giving. I had the opportunity to witness the Foundation’s work and see the spark of hope that lights up in the lives of not just the children but entire families. Over the last five years, the Sachin Tendulkar Foundation has touched over 100,000 young lives, and that’s a hundred thousand reasons to keep going. I am grateful to everyone who believed in us and stood by our side to make this journey possible,” as quoted by the press release from STF.

“As Director, I cannot wait to build on what my parents started and make sure that every little dream gets noticed and nurtured. I look forward to this journey as we light up a world of possibilities for children who are the future,” she added.

A short film introduced the guests to the Foundation’s work. The audience was enlightened on the continued dedication of the Tendulkars and STF towards a shared dream of empowering the young dreamers, through strategic partnerships. The work done by the 15+ NGO partners who STF collaborates with was acknowledged and applauded.

Coldplay’s Chris Martin was in attendance and engaged in a Tete-a-tete, on stage with Sachin Tendulkar.

Pressing on the Foundation’s journey, Sachin Tendulkar shared, “When I walked back to the pavilion one last time, I had an inkling in my mind that my innings was far from over. Anjali and I had this vision to do something to ease living for the less privileged and give young dreamers some assistance to believe in themselves and take flight. We realized that the germination of the idea was easier than implementing it. Eventually, STF came into being and now we’ve traversed half a decade of doing our bit. The journey is in full swing and with Sara leading the way now, I am confident that STF will continue to transform million dreams into reality and give wings to the doers.”

Starting with a humble vision of connecting with people and assisting them in realizing their full potential, STF is at the threshold to expand its sports-for-development initiatives multi-fold, so that millions more children and youth across the corners get benefitted.

The futuristic vision looks at creating more advanced infrastructure in rural areas, strengthening healthcare access for children through collaborations with local hospitals and authorities, and introducing innovative education programs aimed at bridging opportunity gaps and skill development. By merging the core vision with a new zeal, STF aims to make the next decade a decade of fulfilling ‘billions of dreams.’ (ANI)

The Sachin Tendulkar Foundation has marked five years of serving the less privileged and the needy in in the areas of health, education, and sports.

Coldplay singer Chris Martin attended a close-knit celebration of five year anniversary of the Sachin Tendulkar Foundation in Mumbai on Wednesday. Sachin recently attended the Coldplay concert in Mumbai.

Chris meets Sachin

The official Instagram handle of the Sachin Tendulkar Foundation shared a picture in which Sachin, his wife Anjali Tendulkar, and daughter Sara Tendulkar posed with Chris. The caption stated, “Five years into this journey of making sports, health and education accessible, we reflect on how far we’ve come. It’s still early days, yet we’re proud of the progress made, made possible by an incredible set of partners who share our vision. Thank you to all the well-wishers who joined us, including Chris Martin, for making this milestone special. Together, we aspire to scale greater heights and continue to #5hineBrighterTogether.”

The Sachin Tendulkar Foundation, established by Sachin and Anjali Tendulkar, has marked five years of serving the less privileged and the needy in in the areas of health, education, and sports for development.

To celebrate the occasion, the STF organised a closed-knit celebration at the Bombay Club. It was attended by Coldplay singer Chris Martin, who engaged in a private conversation with Sachin, a press release by the STF stated.

Chris donned a dapper look as he wore an all-black outfit paired with white sneakers. He congratulated Sachin for the achievement and his commitment to ensuring better living for the needy with primary focus areas of health, education, and sports for children.

The theme of the evening, “Shine Brighter Together” shed light on the Foundation’s core idea of impacting lives, especially children through sports, health and education. As for Sara Tendulkar, who recently donned the mantle of Director at the Foundation, this evening marked her first official engagement.

The new facility, inaugurated by the Tendulkar family, features courts for basketball and badminton, indoor wrestling and boxing areas, and hostels athletes.

The Sachin Tendulkar Foundation (STF), in collaboration with its partner Mann Deshi Champions, inaugurated a modern sporting facility in Satara, Maharashtra this week. The event marked Sara Tendulkar’s first visit as a director of STF, showcasing her commitment to taking the foundation’s mission forward.

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.

Sara Tendulkar, accompanied by her parents, expressed her admiration for the transformative impact of sports on young lives and shared some moments with the children there.

Mann Deshi Champions has a proven track record of nurturing rural talent, with over 100 athletes joining the army, police, forest, and railways through their programs. Alumni such as Dada and Ajinath Shingade, 1500m national silver medalists are now serving in the armed forces, and national medalist wrestler Aru Khandekar, exemplify the program’s success.

Looking ahead, Mann Deshi Champions plans to expand its reach by building 50 playgrounds in Dantewara, Chhattisgarh, training over 300 athletes, and certifying 2,000 government school sports coaches at the new facility in the coming year.

STF, established in 2019 by Sachin and Dr. Anjali Tendulkar, is dedicated to transforming lives through initiatives in sports, health, and education. With Sara Tendulkar now at the helm, the foundation is poised to scale its efforts further, ensuring equitable opportunities for underprivileged children across India.

Sara Tendulkar, armed with global expertise, takes on a key role at her cricket legend father’s foundation that works on health care, sports and education initiatives.

Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar recently shared the news with his fans. His daughter, Sara Tendulkar, has officially joined the Sachin Tendulkar Foundation as a director.

Sachin expressed his joy in a heartfelt social media post, highlighting how Sara’s academic background and global exposure will contribute to the foundation’s mission.

Sara, who holds an MA in Clinical and Public Health Nutrition from University College London, will work to drive impactful changes in health care, sports, and education across India.

Her father wrote that global learning had come full circle with Sara now channeling her expertise and passion into a cause that aims to make a meaningful difference in the lives of many.

What does the Sachin Tendulkar Foundation do?

The Sachin Tendulkar Foundation, established in 2019 by Sachin Tendulkar and his wife, Dr Anjali Tendulkar, focuses on improving the lives of children across India. The foundation has a special focus on children born with cleft lip and palate impairments, working to restore their smiles and provide them with a better future.

By facilitating surgeries and post-operative care, the foundation gives these children a chance to live with dignity and confidence.

In addition to health care, the foundation is passionate about promoting sports as a tool for empowerment. Since its early years, it has supported Hi5, a basketball program aimed at providing opportunities for tribal children to excel in life.

The foundation also connects institutions, people, and resources to create sustainable change, ensuring every child has access to equal opportunities.

Sara Tendulkar’s involvement in the foundation is not only a professional step but also shows her commitment to societal well-being.

Apart from her academic achievements, Sara is also quite active on social media, where she often shares updates from her life. Recently, she posted photos of a luxurious vacation in Istanbul.

Beyond social media, Sara has also voiced her concerns about important issues, such as the RG Kar Medical College rape and murder case in Kolkata.

VMPL

New Delhi [India], September 13: With an aim to empower young students, Spreading Happiness InDiya Foundation (SHIF), a collaboration between cricketing icon Sachin Tendulkar (through Sachin Tendulkar Foundation – STF) and Schneider Electric India, a leader in digital energy management and next-generation automation, have reached a major milestone in their mission to empower young minds in rural areas through digital education. Through the flagship SMITA program, the Foundation has positively impacted 60,000 students across 300+ schools in India. Inspired by the success and in celebration of World Literacy Day, SHIF has committed to revitalising 500 rural government schools by 2025. It aims to touch the lives of more than 100,000 young learners across aspirational blocks of India.

At the heart of the SMITA program are ‘Digital’ classrooms, designed to bring digital education to rural areas while promoting sustainability. Till date, SHIF has equipped 300 schools with Digital classrooms, situated in some of the remotest corners of the country, also serve as hubs for fostering a community of ‘Green Ambassadors’ who are empowered to take proactive climate action. These classrooms, powered by renewable energy sources like solar, offer cutting-edge infrastructure and virtual training opportunities, helping schools reduce operational costs and expand access to quality education through virtual training.

Highlighting the importance of expanding digital education access, Sachin Tendulkar expressed, “The Spreading Happiness InDiya Foundation is dedicated to narrowing the digital gap by granting students access to high-quality education, while also imparting the significance of sustainability. SMITA program signifies our dedication to cultivating a generation of responsible and knowledgeable citizens who will guide us towards a sustainable future. Through the foundation, we are working to ensure that every child, regardless of their location, possesses the resources necessary to thrive in the contemporary world.”

Access to quality education is an integral pillar for achieving holistic sustainable development. The evolving digital world has necessitated the timely modernisation and upgradation of educational infrastructure for keeping the students ahead of the learning curve.

In line with this goal, Deepak Sharma, Zone President – Greater India, MD & CEO, Schneider Electric India, stated, “Schneider Electric is an impact-driven company, and education is fundamental for creating a lasting, sustainable impact. We believe that access to energy and education is a fundamental human right. Our Digital classrooms exemplify our commitment to leading energy and environmental conservation to empower rural communities. We have already positively impacted 60,000 children in 300 schools and aim to transform 500 schools by 2025. We are honoured to partner with Sachin Tendulkar to educate and empower our next generation, driving actions on climate change and sustainability.”

The SMITA Program is committed towards nurturing an ecosystem of ‘Green Ambassadors’ through its interactive learning program on Environment and Energy conservation. This program is tailored to inform and educate students to make judicious and eco-friendly choices in their daily lives.

The innovative SMITA program by SHIF is making a positive impact on government schools in 12 states like Uttarakhand, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, and Karnataka including some aspirational district blocks. The Foundation is dedicated to ensuring uninterrupted learning by making education available to students in regional languages.

About Spreading Happiness InDiya Foundation (SHIF)

Spreading Happiness InDiya Foundation (SHIF) is a collaboration between Sachin Tendulkar (https://sachintendulkar.com/), through Sachin Tendulkar Foundation,(STF) and Schneider Electric India (https://www.se.com/in/en/), the leader in the digital transformation of energy management and automation. Sachin Tendulkar Foundation is the Tendulkar family’s philanthropic platform, aimed towards creating a better world for children, through interventions in health, education and sports. These institutions have come together to provide Energy Autonomy to rural India through Renewable Energy. With a vision to “Spread Happiness” and build a sustainable tomorrow, SHIF is presently involved in providing access to energy, solar-powered “Digital” classrooms, and creating awareness about the judicious use of resources in rural communities of India.

About Schneider Electric

Schneider’s purpose is to create Impact by empowering all to make the most of our energy and resources, bridging progress and sustainability for all. At Schneider, we call this Life Is On.

Our mission is to be the trusted partner in Sustainability and Efficiency.

We are a global industrial technology leader bringing world-leading expertise in electrification, automation and digitization to smart industries, resilient infrastructure, future-proof data centers, intelligent buildings, and intuitive homes. Anchored by our deep domain expertise, we provide integrated end-to-end lifecycle AI enabled Industrial IoT solutions with connected products, automation, software and services, delivering digital twins to enable profitable growth for our customers.

We are a people company with an ecosystem of 150,000 colleagues and more than a million partners operating in over 100 countries to ensure proximity to our customers and stakeholders. We embrace diversity and inclusion in everything we do, guided by our meaningful purpose of a sustainable future for all.

Visakhapatnam: With an objective to empower underprivileged children by providing them grassroots-level basketball programme, Hi5 Youth Foundation has partnered with Sachin Tendulkar Foundation (STF) to construct basketball courts in Andhra Pradesh and Arunachal Pradesh. These will be the fifth and sixth basketball courts to be developed with the support of STF.

It may be noted that Hi 5 Youth Foundation and STF have been collaborating to build sports infrastructure in schools since 2020.

The new basketball court venue would be APSWR school in Chittoor, which is also known as Dr BR Ambedkar Gurukulam. The school is home to aorund 400 girl students from grades five to 10. Andhra Pradesh basketball association conducts state camps and prepares teams for national tournaments here.

Speaking about the collaboration, cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar said sports is a powerful tool that not only keeps children physically fit but also builds character, self-esteem, and confidence.

“It empowers children from marginalised backgrounds with the required skills that can help them succeed in all fields of life. The expansion of our association with Hi 5 Youth Foundation to develop two more basketball courts for children in tribal communities and girls, in particular, is one more step in our vision to transform India from a sports-watching nation to a sports-playing nation,” said Tendulkar.

Hi 5 Youth Foundation founder Usha Sundar said they are excited about partnering with STF in their mission to promote sports and empower youth. “Creating inclusive spaces will help young talents thrive and bring communities together. STF currently supports 300 children at its tribal centres in Maharashtra. The foundation has built two half-courts and one full court in a remote village in Gujarat and another full court at the Parivaar Education Society campus in West Bengal,” she said.

Apart from Chittoor, the second court will be built at RKM School in Aalo, Arunachal Pradesh. Established in 1966, this school focuses on uplifting the underprivileged tribal community in the north-eastern state through education, healthcare, and livelihood initiatives.

With the help of doctors at the Inga Health Foundation’s hospital, the Sachin Tendulkar Foundation is working to put smile back on children’s faces, through cleft lip and palate surgeries.

Sachin Tendulkar on Friday has revealed that his foundation alongside the Inga Health Foundation’s hospital is helping the babies born with deformities in Jammu and Kashmir.

Tendulkar, who has recently been on a trip to Jammu and Kashmir along with his wife Anjali Tendulkar and daughter Sara Tendulkar has put down a heartfelt note with a video on the social media accounts.

“We don’t often think about our ability to smile, as a gift. We consider it a given. There are a few, who struggle to express even this basic emotion. Nearly 60,000 babies in India are born every year with deformities that inhibit their smiles,” wrote Sachin.

“Through Sachin Tendulkar Foundation, we have been working with a wonderful set of doctors who strive to put a smile back on children’s faces, through cleft lip and palate surgeries.

“One of the centres we have been supporting is in Srinagar. During our trip to Jammu and Kashmir, we spent time in Inga Health Foundation’s hospital, interacting with doctors, children and their parents.

“Listening to the stories of how the surgery has transformed lives of these children was indeed gratifying. Anjali, Sara and I were all smiles after meeting these little heroes. We are happy to have contributed to this beautiful change in their lives.”

Sachin has described the trip as a “beautiful experience” that will forever hold a cherished place in his memory.

During his recent trip to the Kashmir valley, Sachin had also several videos, including him visiting a cricket bat making factory, enjoying time with his family at the Shikara, playing cricket on the roads, and meeting Jammu and Kashmir’s Para cricket team captain Amir Hussain Lone.

Tendulkar Foundation and the Yuwa Foundation work in collaboration in the district to help and develop the girl footballers. The Indian batter would say that he got inspired by these children.

Former Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar along with his wife Anjali Tendulkar were in Ranchi at at Ormanjhi block of the district to encourage girl football players of the Yuwa Foundation.

“Children’s energy is infectious. I saw them working hard and enjoying themselves. I recalled my childhood,” Tendulkar said while speaking to media persons.

“The reason behind me coming here is the children. If we get a chance to smile because of them, then there can’t be anything bigger than that. I will come here again soon,” Tendulkar said.

Tendulkar Foundation and the Yuwa Foundation work in collaboration in the district to help and develop the girl footballers. The Indian batter would say that he got inspired by these children.

SachinSachin Tendulkar and Anjali Tendulkar with girl footballers. (Special arrangement)
“There are several difficulties in their lives even from home. They go to play football, which sometimes is not liked by parents. I would like to tell them to encourage children and support them. These children will bring smiles on their faces,” the 50-year-old said.

Festive offer
education, sports and health
Speaking about the Tendulkar Foundation Sachin would say that the body works in three verticals of education sports and health.

The cricketer would reveal the reason behind these verticals and say “Education is because my father was a professor, health because my wife is a doctor and sport because I am into it. If three are put together, it can shape the future of the country,”.

“Its team is honing the skills of girls, changing their lives, giving direction to their lives… The girls will go on to shine as bright as they possibly can,” Tendulkar would praise the Yuwa Foundation.

Tendulkar is one of the greatest batsmen in history of cricket. He repersented India in 200 Tests and 463 ODIs. He is also the only player to score 100 international tons and is the all time top run scorers in both Tests (15,291 runs) and ODIs (18,426 runs).

With PTI inputs

The four young medal-winning track and field athletes from rural Satara, who were accompanied by their two coaches, could not conceal their joy and excitement on meeting their sporting idol and asked Sachin questions about his career, diet, and fitness journey

Four young female athletes from the Mann Deshi Champions programme, which is supported by the Sachin Tendulkar Foundation, got a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to meet cricketing legend, Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai recently.

The four young medal-winning track and field athletes from rural Satara, who were accompanied by their two coaches, could not conceal their joy and excitement on meeting their sporting idol and asked Sachin questions about his career, diet, and fitness journey.

All four girls hail from farming families in rural Satara district. Vaishnavi Sawant from Pulkoti, currently pursuing an MA, has won gold, silver, and bronze medals in the 3000-meter steeplechase at the National level. Arya Kale from Jambhulani, an 8th-grade student, has secured a National bronze medal in the 2000-meter race. Arati Babar from Dhokmoda, presently pursuing a BA, has actively participated in 5 Km and 10 Km races at the State level. Payal Bhosale, also from Dhokmoda, has won a silver medal in the 600-meter race at the District level.

The girls also wanted to know how a sportsperson could deal with failures. Sachin gave them advice from his experiences, “Failures are natural and a part of your journey as a sportsperson. You will face failures, and things will not always be in your favour every day. What really matters is your mindset in facing failure and not allowing it to affect your long-term plan. It is important to believe in yourself and keep working towards your goal. Just like you train your body to be strong, you must also train your mind to be resilient, learn from failures and move forward.”

The Sachin Tendulkar Foundation began working with the Mann Deshi Foundation in December 2023, supporting the Mann Deshi Champions programme with financial support to provide young boys and girls in rural India with sports facilities that nurture their overall physical, mental and social development.

Sachin, who was accompanied by his wife, Anjali Tendulkar also enquired about the girls’ training routine. He appreciated their dedication in not missing their twice-daily rigorous training, once before attending school in the morning and then in the evening after school. The Mann Deshi Foundation provides these young athletes with healthy and nutritious food after the training sessions.

The Sachin Tendulkar Foundation supports the Mann Deshi Champions programme in its mission to identify prospective outstanding athletes in rural India, offer financial and professional coaching support to participate in state, national and international competitions, and promote a career in sports. With a focus on increasing girls’ participation in sports, it also trains local coaches to identify and train talented athletes.

The Sachin Tendulkar Foundation supports multiple philanthropic initiatives to build a better tomorrow for India’s next generation. It works in the areas of children’s health, education and sports. Its other initiatives in supporting sports for children include working with the Hi-5 Foundation to develop character, confidence and team spirit in children in tribal areas of Maharashtra, West Bengal and Gujarat through a basketball excellence program called ‘Hope Through Hoops’ and backing Shreeja’s ‘Football and Beyond’ initiative which is empowering young girls from tribal areas of West Bengal.

New Delhi/Mumbai, November 3 (IANS) UNICEF South Asia Regional Ambassador and cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar led a day for children and called for gender equality with Muttiah Muralitharan, Sri Lankan cricket icon, during the India-Sri Lanka match in Mumbai.

The One Day for Children is a milestone event under the ICC-UNICEF partnership to support children’s issues and causes during the ICC Men’s World Cup Cricket 2023 taking place in India.

In the second innings of the match, Sachin Tendulkar and Muttiah Muralitharan pressed a button which lit up the32,000 strong iconic Wankhede Stadium in UNICEF’s iconic cyan blue colour, as part of a long-standing partnership between UNICEF and the International Cricket Council (ICC).

“The World Cup is an opportune moment to bring people together and promote hope and equality for every child, and I am delighted that today’s match between Sri Lanka and India is the One Day for Children match,” said Sachin Tendulkar, cricketing icon, and UNICEF South Asia Regional Ambassador. “I urge the players, the audiences here and across the world, and ICC partners, to pledge to treat boys and girls equally, irrespective of gender and to build a world where all children, especially girls, have equal rights. I urge everyone to be a champion for children and pledge to end gender inequality together!”

Earlier, the in-stadium audiences were handed LED wrist bands at the entry points to the stands as they arrived, which turned blue with the Stadium. The LED wrist bands came with a QR code, which also linked to a pledge for children. Everyone who got the band was encouraged to scan the QR code and pledge. Players also wore one-of-a-kind armbands with logos of the World Cup, One Day 4 Child and UNICEF along with the players’ names.

“Today’s World Cup match is dedicated to advancing the rights and well-being of all children. This is a valuable opportunity to bring the power of cricket – its massive reach across the globe – to advocate for better, safer and empowering lives for millions of girls and boys,” said Cynthia McCaffrey, Representative, UNICEF India. “We greatly value the partnership with ICC and BCCI to use cricket to raise awareness and promote gender equality among millions of young fans and followers, and urge them to be champions for children, especially for girls.”

Since 2016, UNICEF and ICC have used the potential of cricketing events to improve the lives of children and young people. From2022, the focus of the partnership has been to empower girls and young women through cricket.

“I strongly believe that playing sport can positively transform children’s lives. Ensuring participation of girls in sports can challenge gender norms and change attitudes in schools, playgrounds and homes,” added Tendulkar, UNICEF’s South Asia Regional Ambassador. “Girls and boys everywhere, dream of a better future, and when girls do better, we all do better!”

South Asia is home to one-third of the world’s 600 million adolescent girls – or a staggering 170 million – yet their potential to change the world remains largely untapped. For example, 1 in every 5 girls is undernourished. More than half of adolescent girls are anaemic. Only 36 per cent of girls have completed secondary school. Evidence shows that with adequate investments in the health and nutrition of girls and women, the world could save more than 12 million lives and prevent more than 30 million unwanted pregnancies.

The ICC Men’s World Cup Cricket in India, from 5 October to 19 November, has attracted millions of fans and viewers. In addition to the One Day for Children event, UNICEF and ICC have promoted gender equality through several cricketing initiatives during the ICC World Cup 2023. For example, cricketers from each of the 10 teams played with about 50 young boys and girls during 10 cricket clinics across 8 cities in India.

In August 2023, in his role as UNICEF South Asia Regional Ambassador, Sachin Tendulkar visited Sri Lanka and met with children and parents impacted by the COVID-pandemic and the 2022 economic crisis.