{"id":5276,"date":"2026-02-18T07:22:35","date_gmt":"2026-02-18T07:22:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.iuemag.com\/inspi-news\/?p=5276"},"modified":"2026-02-18T09:00:53","modified_gmt":"2026-02-18T09:00:53","slug":"oscar-foundations-khel-paathshala-2026-ignites-collaborative-momentum-for-grassroots-sports-revolution-in-india","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.iuemag.com\/inspi-news\/press-release\/oscar-foundations-khel-paathshala-2026-ignites-collaborative-momentum-for-grassroots-sports-revolution-in-india\/","title":{"rendered":"OSCAR Foundation\u2019s Khel Paathshala 2026 Ignites Collaborative Momentum for Grassroots Sports Revolution in India"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Mumbai, Maharashtra – February 13th, 2026 <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Khel Paathshala 2026, convened by OSCAR Foundation, brought together leaders from sports-for-development organizations for a day of dynamic deliberations, inspiring stories, and actionable strategies to transform India\u2019s grassroots sports ecosystem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The conference united eminent keynote speakers, panelists, and youth voices to chart a bolder path from playgrounds to podiums, fostering inclusive, sustainable sports networks across the nation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Held at Jio Convention Center, Mumbai<\/em><\/strong>, the event sparked innovative ideas on nurturing talent, reimagining India-specific solutions, amplifying grassroots perspectives, and powering progress through partnerships. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Attendees left energized with a shared commitment to building stronger sports cultures that empower youth and drive social impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Key Highlights and Sessions:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Opening Remarks: <\/em><\/strong>Ashok Rathod, Founder and CEO of OSCAR Foundation, set the stage for collaborative action in grassroots sports.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Keynote Address 1: <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Paul Murphy<\/em><\/strong>, Australian Consul General to Western India<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Panel 1: Playground to Podium \u2013 Building a Sports Culture in India<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Moderator: Ashish Shah<\/em><\/strong> (Independent Consultant – Sports Business)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Panelists:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25a0 Gaurav Sharga <\/em><\/strong>(Lead, RF Youth Sports, Reliance Foundation)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25a0 Sai Krishnan<\/em><\/strong> (Director, Anantapur Sports Academy)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25a0 Prabhat Sinha<\/em><\/strong> (Founder, Mann Deshi Champions)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25a0 Ashok Rathod<\/em><\/strong> (Founder and CEO, OSCAR Foundation)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Discussions focused on strategies to nurture talent from local fields to national glory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Panel 2: Voice of Grassroots Sports<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Moderator<\/em><\/strong>: Dr. Shilpi Sharma<\/em><\/strong> (COO, OSCAR Foundation)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Panelists<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25a0 Meenakshi<\/em><\/strong> (Rajasthan),<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25a0 Sonu<\/em><\/strong> (Rajasthan),<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25a0 Ashma<\/em><\/strong> (Daman)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25a0 Saloni<\/em><\/strong> (Mumbai).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Youth from community initiatives shared raw stories and challenges, highlighting the heart of grassroots efforts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Panel 3: Unique Solutions for India’s Grassroots \u2013 Reimagining Grassroots Sports<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Moderator<\/em><\/strong>: Stuart Christie<\/em><\/strong> (Director, Volenti Academy)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Panelists:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25a0 Neel Shah<\/em><\/strong> (CEO, Dream Sports Foundation)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25a0 Parminder Gill<\/em><\/strong> (Co-Founder & Head of Foundation, Sportz Village)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25a0 Sanjay Singh<\/em><\/strong> (Chief, UNICEF Maharashtra Office, Mumbai)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25a0 Arup Soans<\/em><\/strong> (CEO, Indian Sports Management Association)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Experts explored scalable, India-centric innovations to amplify impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Keynote Address 2: <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Jatin Goyal,<\/strong> DANICS Officer (Former Director of Education, UT of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Panel 4: Powering Progress Through Collaboration – Building Strong Sports Ecosystems<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Moderator<\/em><\/strong>: Anirban Chakraborty (Senior Programme Lead, GoSports Foundation)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Panelists:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25a0 Anirudh Kalia<\/em><\/strong> (Associate Professor of Practice – Sports Management, Jio Institute)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25a0 Anju Turambekar<\/em><\/strong> (Founder & President, AT Foundation | International Football Coach)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25a0 Yash Jain<\/em><\/strong> (CSR Project Lead, LIC Housing Finance Limited)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25a0 Kshitij Patil<\/em><\/strong> (Vice President, Physical Literacy, Dani Sports Foundation)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25a0 Arati Kakatkar<\/em><\/strong> (Vice President, Procam International)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The session underscored the power of partnerships for sustainable networks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The event concluded with a heartfelt Vote of Thanks by Lucinda Sowerbutts, Director of OSCAR International, reinforcing calls for ongoing collaboration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cKhel Paathshala 2026 was a catalyst for real change<\/em><\/strong>,\u201d said<\/em><\/strong> Ashok Rathod, Founder and CEO of OSCAR Foundation<\/em><\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cBy uniting diverse voices, we\u2019ve unlocked actionable pathways to make grassroots sports a cornerstone of India\u2019s future – empowering youth, fostering inclusion, and building ecosystems that last.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Connect with OSCAR Foundation to join the movement and drive India\u2019s grassroots sports forward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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About OSCAR Foundation<\/em><\/strong>: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

OSCAR Foundation is a community-based Sports for Development (S4D) organisation that uses football to keep children in school, promote gender equality, and build essential life skills. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since 2010, we have empowered over 35,000+ children and young people from low-income communities across Maharashtra, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Goa, and the Union Territory of Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu<\/em><\/strong>, helping them unlock their potential, and prepare for a brighter future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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For more information, visit https:\/\/www.oscar-foundation.org\/<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Mumbai, Maharashtra – February 13th, 2026  Khel Paathshala 2026, convened by OSCAR Foundation, brought together leaders from sports-for-development organizations for a day of dynamic deliberations, inspiring stories, and actionable strategies to transform India\u2019s grassroots sports ecosystem. The conference united eminent…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5303,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4315],"tags":[4322],"class_list":["post-5276","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-press-release","tag-inspinews"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t