Chennaiyin FC, HCL Foundation join hands to develop football at grassroot level

Indian Super League (ISL) club Chennaiyin FC have joined hands with the HCL Foundation to develop football at the grassroot level. The tech giant will join the football club as the Social Cause Partner for the ongoing season of the league.

Chennaiyin FC’s partnership with HCL will also help in empowering youth and also driving community engagement through football.

The football club and the technology giant will commence their cause with a plantation activity at a Harit afforestation site. This underscores their commitment to environmental sustainability.

Chennaiyin FC players and the staff will then visit Kannagi Nagar Police Boys and Girls Club and interact with the Sports for Change students from the area to motivate the students to pursue sports professionally.

In another novel move, Chennaiyin FC offered 500 match tickets to students and youth of the HCLFoundation's Sports For Change (SFC) initiative for their ISL game against NorthEast United FC on April 9. Additionally, 20 children from the HCLFoundation's SFC program escorted the Chennaiyin FC ISL players into the stadium ahead of the match. Select matches will also be live streamed for students of the Police Boys and Girls Clubs of Arumbakkam and Kannagi Nagar, Chennai.

Goals from Aakash Sangwan (72nd minute) and Ankit Mukherjee (90+1) helped Chennaiyin Fc beat NorthEast United FC 2-1 and consolidate their position for a top-six finish. With Punjab FC beating East Bengal 4-1 on April 10, Chennaiyin FC qualified for the playoffs.

Speaking about the partnership and the aim to develop football at the grassroots level, Ekansh Gupta, vice-president of the football club, said the aim is to create a vibrant ecosystem where communities thrive through football. “This partnership represents a significant milestone in our journey to leverage the platform of football for broader social impact. By empowering youth, nurturing talent, and fostering a culture of sportsmanship and inclusivity, we are committed to creating a vibrant ecosystem where dreams flourish and communities thrive,” he said.

Dr. Nidhi Pundhir, vice president, global CSR at HCL, concurred with Gupta and said the aim is to foster inclusion, empower youth and drive positive change. “Through this partnership with Chennaiyin FC, we aim to harness the unparalleled power of sports in fostering inclusion, empowering youth and driving positive social change. Together, we aspire to create a legacy of sportsmanship and community engagement that inspires generations to come,” Pundhir added.

Chennaiyin FC will play their last league match against FC Goa on April 14 before moving on to the knock-out phase of the league.