Childrens Charity, India
by Rajee Bhattachryya – OSCAR Foundation Trustee
Some memories never fade. I was around six years, when I accompanied my mother to a local scrap paper shop near our home. Amongst the rustle of newspapers and weighing scales stood a boy, my age, solving complex decimal multiplication with a speed and precision that could make calculators blush. Hired by the shop owner for his mathematical brilliance, this child had no access to formal education. That moment etched itself in my heart, a quiet, painful reminder of the unfairness in the world.
That boy never left my memory. As I grew up, so did my resolve. Those who know me well, know my passion for children, their education, their growth, their dreams. I knew I had to contribute in whatever way I could.
At 40, my marathon journey began. Running taught me about endurance, focus and the power of transformation. It was during this phase of my life that I met Ashok Rathod, a meeting that felt more like destiny than coincidence.
Ashok’s story is one for the ages. Growing up in Ambedkar Nagar, with parents who toiled in the Sassoon Dock fish market, he dreamt big, not just for himself but for his entire community. Through OSCAR Foundation, Ashok pioneered an extraordinary model: using football to build life skills, channel energy away from vices and ensure kids stay in school. What started as a simple idea has now impacted over 15,000 children directly and over 20,000 through partnerships.
But what truly stands out is OSCAR’s soul: its Young Leader Programme, a living testament to what true leadership looks like, not just guiding, but creating frameworks for others to lead. With over 1,000 young leaders, this is no longer just an organisation. It’s a movement.
I’ve had the privilege of meeting many OSCAR kids. On a visit to the Ambedkar community, I met Netravati and Rupa, two young girls in a modest home, surrounded by gleaming trophies and bigger dreams. Netravati, with the brightest smile I’ve ever seen, became a Young Leader and led a transformative journey in her community. Her inclusion of a transgender child into her programme was a bold, beautiful statement of inclusivity.
Then there’s Govind. Once a school dropout, today he’s a sports management scholar from Leipzig University, Germany. The very building whose bathrooms he once cleaned now welcomed him as a scholar. And it didn’t stop there, he founded “Enabling Change,” empowering over 100 children with disabilities through sport.
I cannot speak of grit without mentioning Poonam, who broke gender stereotypes to play football and eventually represented OSCAR at the 2018 FIFA Foundation Festival. Her journey inspired families to support more girls to follow in her footsteps. Or Karan in Karnataka, a beacon of positivity, passion and inspiration, his influence radiates through every child who looks up to him.
Beyond individuals, the collective impact of OSCAR is extraordinary, from bridging communal divides to empowering women in the most remote pockets of Karnataka. I’ve witnessed it and I carry it with me.
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