GREATER NOIDA, India, July 14, 2026: HCLFoundation, which drives the corporate social responsibility agenda of HCLTech in India, hosted the 8th edition of the Sports for Change (SFC) National Finals 2026 at Gautam Buddha University, Greater Noida. The three-day event brought together 600 young athletes, comprising 300 boys and 300 girls, from 15 states across the country, who had qualified through a series of district, state and zonal competitions.
Celebrating the diversity of grassroots sporting talent, the competition brought together athletes from 15 states and UTs, including Uttar Pradesh, Ladakh, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Karnataka, West Bengal, Assam, Sikkim and Nagaland. Participants competed across seven disciplines: Football, Kabaddi, Volleyball, Kho Kho, Archery, Badminton and Table Tennis.
Reflecting on this year's edition, Dr. Nidhi Pundhir, SVP, Global CSR, HCLTech and Director, HCLFoundation, said, “At HCLFoundation, we believe every child, regardless of their socio-economic background, deserves the opportunity to discover their potential and pursue their aspirations. By nurturing grassroots talent and fostering an environment where young athletes are encouraged to dream bigger, build resilience and strive for excellence, we hope the National Finals inspire every participant to realize that their circumstances need not define their future."
Sports for Change aims to break barriers of poverty, class, caste and physical ability, offering underserved children and youth the opportunity to realize their full potential through sports. The program has reached over 74,000+ children and youth across India, including 474 para-athletes. Over 12,000 young athletes participated in this year’s Sports for Change competition, while 30+ sports scholarships will be provided this year to top achievers through coaching, equipment, nutrition and access to training facilities. The initiative enabled more than 490 athletes to progress to national-level competitions, with 38 athletes representing India at the international level. Some of the prominent names include Jerlin Anika (Badminton), Preeti Pal (100 m & 200 m races), Akshaya (Rugby), Rajkumari (powerlifting) and Kanishri (Chess).
