


Our Mission
We use the power of football and a network of Young Leaders to develop life skills and improve educational attainment for children from underprivileged communities in India.
Our Values
AUTHENTICITY
TEAMWORK
INTEGRITY
RESPECT
Our Vision
A world where all children and youth have an equal opportunity to succeed.
We are using the power of
football to deliver life skills to children
from underserved communities
Journey

2012
First Young Leader outreach training conducted
2011
OSCAR starts sessions for girls
2010
OSCAR Foundation is registered as a charitable trust
2018
OSCAR starts ‘Enabling Change’, its disability inclusion project
2019
OSCAR opens its first football turf and wins the Dana Cup tournament in Denmark
2017
Common Goal co-founder Juan Mata announces OSCAR as its first member
2014
OSCAR’s first Digital Learning Centre opens
2013
OSCAR partners with FIFA Foundation for S4D projects
2020
OSCAR partners with Manchester City FC for S4D projects
2023
OSCAR crosses 5000 active participants across locations and expands to Rajasthan and DamanJourney

2010
OSCAR Foundation is registered as a charitable trust

2011
OSCAR starts sessions for girls

2012
First Young Leader outreach training conducted

2013
OSCAR partners with FIFA Foundation for S4D projects

2014
OSCAR’s first Digital Learning Centre opens

2017
Common Goal co-founder Juan Mata announces OSCAR as its first member

2018
OSCAR starts ‘Enabling Change’, its disability inclusion project

2019
OSCAR opens its first football turf and wins the Dana Cup tournament in Denmark

2020
OSCAR partners with Manchester City FC for S4D projects

2023
OSCAR crosses 5000 active participants across locations and expands to Rajasthan and Daman
OSCAR Foundation is a community based Sports for Development (S4D) organisation. It uses the power of football to encourage children to stay in school and equips them with skills to be resilient and future ready. Through our Football, Education and Young Leader programmes, we have empowered over 15,000 children and youth in low-income communities of India, since 2010.
OSCAR believes the core values inherent in football are principles necessary for community development. Based on our ‘No School, No Football’ policy, OSCAR Foundation provides football and life skills sessions to children from underprivileged communities on the condition that they attend school regularly. We cover life-skills topics like Empathy, Communication Skills, Problem Solving, Creative Thinking and more. Our in-house curriculum delivered by AIFF ACCREDITED D licensed coaches imparts socio-emotional learning, value education and physical activity.

Rajasthan - Jhunjhunu District

Karnataka - Yadgir and Kalaburgi District

Mumbai - Mumbai, Thane and Navi Mumbai

Daman - Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu
Story
-
A Simple Idea
Ashok Rathod started OSCAR in Mumbai with one simple idea; he wanted to use football as a fun incentive to engage
with children and discuss the importance of education. -
Leadership
OSCAR started providing youth from the community with leadership and life skills training. The trained ‘Young Leaders’ helped deliver sessions and mobilise their own communities helping create a wave of change.
-
Digital Literacy
OSCAR started computer courses for children in their communities to promote digital literacy, one of the organisation’s initiatives to help young people develop their digital skills and make them future ready
-
International Recognition
In addition to prestigious partnerships with Manchester City FC, FIFA Foundation, UEFA Foundation and Common Goal, 115 children from OSCAR programmes have visited 13 countries for various tournaments and exposure visits.
-
Introducing Life Skills Education
OSCAR soon generated interest among residents of the community and the programme soon grew expanding to multiple locations within the City. OSCAR soon incorporated WHO designed life skills into its programme.
Team

Ashok Rathod
Belonging to Mumbai’s Ambedkar Nagar slum, Ashok witnessed children around him leaving education to earn money, falling prey to drugs and illegal activities. Personally, he discouraged many from taking this route, but realised that this challenge was more complex requiring a unique approach. Ashok’s belief in the power of education motivated him to start OSCAR Foundation despite his little means. OSCAR began with a few children and one simple rule; No school on weekdays- No football sessions on weekends. His unique approach has attracted interest from various S4D organisations including FIFA Foundation, Common Goal and Manchester City FC. A recipient of many prestigious awards such as the CNN-IBN Real Hero Award and the Apollo Tyres Go the Distance Hero Award, Ashok is also an Ashoka Youth Venture Fellow (2008), Acumen Fellow (2021) and has spoken at many international and national leadership forums on the cause of education.

Anil Rathod
Anil Rathod is the Finance Manager of ‘Teach For India’ – an organization known for its nation-wide movement of outstanding college graduates and young professionals working towards eliminating educational inequity in India. Anil brings over eight years of finance and operations experience to OSCAR and advises us on matters relating to funding and improving operational efficiency. A native of Mumbai, Anil is well-versed with the non-profit sector and understands the ground realities given his vast network.

Deepa Nair
Deepa Nair is a Communication Professional with over ten years of experience in Business Journalism and Public Relations. She has worked for some of India’s reputed publications like The Hindu. Deepa believes in OSCAR’s approach towards education and in developing life skills to bring about a sustainable change in the communities.

Tarana Lalwani
Tarana Lalwani is a Founding Partner at InnoVen Triple Blue Capital Services LLP where she heads sourcing and execution of venture debt transactions, as well as portfolio management. She is also an advisor at Confederation of Indian Industry. Prior to InnoVen she was a Principal at Seedfund. Tarana continues to be involved in the early stage space – mentoring and guiding founders on fundraising, strategy, and business development. Tarana holds an undergraduate degree from LaSalle University, and an MBA from Columbia Business School, USA

Rajeshwari Bhattacharyya
A fitness freak, ultra runner and passionate contributor to women and child welfare, Rajeshwari (Rajee) is keen on furthering her contribution by associating with OSCAR Foundation.
Rajee is the co-founder of Percipere and the Chief Innovation Officer of Futuroot & CEO of BCMGuru. She has around 30 years of professional experience with expertise in Organisation Tech Strategy, Process automation, Organisational change management, Business Process & Digital Transformation and Program management. She is an alumnus of INSEAD and a qualified Cost Accountant, carrying expertise in Blockchain & Cybersecurity with experience in Financial Services / Insurance & Media sectors.

Ms. Aditi Kotak
Aditi Kotak is a chartered financial analyst (CFA) from Mumbai. She has played a key role in structuring the CSR activities at J.M. Baxi group. Aditi believes in equal opportunity for all and is actively involved in supporting and advising OSCAR Foundation on its initiatives.

Mr. Ashish Shah
Ashish is a highly experienced Executive in the Sports and Technology fields in: India, USA, HK, China and Thailand. He was instrumental in the setup of 2 Professional Football Clubs, 1 IT Software Company and 2 Multinational Insurers’ greenfield projects in India, demonstrating the ability to build sustainable businesses from the startup phase.
Dynamic Sports, the company founded by Ashish, provides End to end Sports and Sports-Tech Consulting including Market Entry Strategy, Sourcing local Partners and Investors, Business Planning, and Implementation. Ashish has a deep understanding of and a strong network in the Indian Sports ecosystem, especially due to his involvement in the Indian Super League from its very inception in 2014.
Ashish graduated from the Rochester Institute of Technology, NY, majoring in Computer Engineering and Business. He is a frequent speaker at industry seminars and panels. Ashish is also a Visiting Faculty at one of India’s premier sports management programs.

Mr. Gaurav Chaturvedi
Gaurav is a Partner at Kae Capital and leads the fund’s investment in multiple categories like Software and e-commerce. He is actively involved with founders at an early stage as a mentor/Board member, advising them as they build their businesses. Before joining Kae Capital, Gaurav Co-Founded and ran India’s one of the largest experiential STEM education companies, ThinkLABs from 2006-16 before successfully exiting it to strategic buyers. While running the company for 10 years, he closely saw how experiential education impacts children’s life skills from an early age. An avid football lover, he believes in the power of sports to bring about personal growth in an individual. Gaurav completed his BTech from IIT Bombay in 2004.

Mr. Gaurav Jaitly
Gaurav is head of the India Equities franchise. He is responsible for the firm’s franchise relationships and manages the India sales and execution services team. Previously, Gaurav was head of India Equities Sales and Execution Services since 2016. He joined Goldman Sachs in 2010 as a vice president on the Institutional Equities desk and covered clients across multiple geographies. Gaurav was named managing director in 2017. Prior to joining the firm, Gaurav worked at UBS and Reliance Equities as an Equity Research analyst covering the US and Indian Telecom sectors. Gaurav earned a Bachelor of Engineering degree from Mumbai University in 1997 and an MBA in Finance from New York University’s Stern School of Business in 2002. He is a CFA Charterholder.

Ms. Kalyani Patnaik
An educationist with 34 years of experience, Kalyani is Principal and Head of a leading school in Mumbai. A double post-graduate in Economics and Education from Delhi University, Kalyani has experience in improving the quality of education by providing instructional leadership on research-based reading programs, and fostering a safe environment conducive to learning.

Mr. Kunal Agarwal
Kunal Agarwal is Director at Kool Ex Cold chain – India’s fastest growing cold chain company with a pan India reach. Kunal has started two professional football clubs and is also associated with GoSport Foundation, a not for profit platform for funding junior sporting talent in India. Kunal is a Clark University (USA) alumni.

Mr. Pramod Rangarajan
Pramod works as a consultant for KPMG social service arm. He is a graduate from IIM Bangalore and IIT Hyderabad. Pramod’s passion for football along with a will to do something for the betterment of society brought him to OSCAR Foundation in 2013. Since then, as a pro-bono consultant, he has been helping OSCAR plan out new projects and improve existing activities such as marketing, fundraising, etc. Pramod also has strong industry experience having worked as Scientist at Defence Research & Development Organization (DRDO) and subsequently as Procurement Officer at Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC).

Ms. Mary Ellen Matsui
Mary Ellen is the CEO of Atma, an organization that provides strategic solutions to NGOs in the field of education. In addition to OSCAR, Mary Ellen is also an advisor on the board of Sol’s Arc and a panelist for organizations like UnLtd India, InspireED and UNICEF. Mary Ellen is a graduate from the Telfer School of Management.

Vice Admiral S.K.K Krishnan (Retd)
Vice Admiral Krishnan SKK (Retd) is an Indian Navy officer who has seen action during the 1971 war. He has worked as the CEO of the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai before joining as the Chairman and MD of Mazgaon Docks. Mr. Krishnan SKK is also a member of the White Board formed by iVolunteer to provide managerial help to various Mumbai-based NGOs.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/krishnan-krishnanvadm-skk-274a033b/

Mr. Vikas Vij
Trained as a Corporate Tax Specialist and Chartered Accountant from Arthur Andersen, UK, Vikas moved successfully into the media industry and has since gained extensive experience in producing high quality, international conferences across Europe, the Middle East and India. He started his conference career at UK media giant, EMAP before moving to Terrapinn to work on large scale summits covering subjects as diverse as “Cooling with CO2” to “Sustainable Architecture” to “Securitisation in the Middle East”, and “Urban Transport in India”. In 2009 Vikas moved to India to set up his own business, The Ideas Exchange and has grown that over the years into one of leading business, events, consulting and research platforms in India focusing on three particular segments: beauty & wellness; healthcare design and legal. Within each segment, IDEX has managed to evolve market leading events which have helped contribute to the growth and development of each of the industries being served. He is driven by the desire to bring innovative and thought provoking debates to whichever industry he is serving.


Mr. Hal Cazalet
Hal Cazalet is an accomplished Opera Singer and Composer, known for his mesmerising performances in renowned opera houses around the world. With a deep passion for promoting new works, Hal has embarked on tours across the United States and Europe alongside the esteemed American composer Philip Glass. He has also taken centre stage in leading roles at prestigious venues such as Weill Hall and Carnegie Hall in New York, as well as Wigmore Hall and the Royal Opera House in London.
Hal also participated in the 2016 London concert, “From Baroque to Bollywood,” organised by Alice Lewthwaite to support the OSCAR Foundation.
Hal’s future aspirations include bringing his new musical adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s “The Happy Prince” to the prestigious Royal Opera House in Mumbai. He also eagerly anticipates leading musical workshops for the OSCAR Foundation in collaboration with the OSCAR boys and girls, with the hope of one day performing a duet alongside Ashok.

Ms. Sarah Ritchie
With over three decades of experience as a graphic designer and art director, Sarah Ritchie brings a wealth of expertise to her role. After completing her studies at Central St Martins in London, Sarah embarked on a remarkable journey, traversing the globe for two years, including a meaningful period in India. Upon her return, she established her own design company and collaborated with numerous high-profile brands, eventually assuming the position of creative director at Micro Scooters for over a decade.
Currently residing in West Sussex with her family and two exuberant dogs, Sarah has dedicated the past two years of her career to working closely with the OSCAR Foundation, crafting impactful campaigns. Her invaluable contributions led to her being approached to serve as a Charity Ambassador, a role she wholeheartedly embraces. Sarah is excited about the opportunity to support OSCAR and looks forward to making a significant difference in the organisation’s endeavours in the years to come. She firmly believes in OSCAR’s transformative impact on the lives of children and youth, emphasising the symbiotic relationship between education and sports that the Foundation advocates.

Ms. Monica Dabasia
Formerly a city lawyer, Monica Dabasia now plays a vital role in managing her family’s London-based property business.
Motivated by a desire to contribute to OSCAR’s mission, Monica, along with her husband Hitesh and their children Vilas and Tamira, initiated numerous fundraising appeals. These included Hitesh’s participation in the Mumbai Half Marathon and Vilas and Tamira organising gatherings with friends for fundraising walks and runs. Supported by the family business’s generosity, the first “OSCAR Medical Centre” was established in May 2021 within the Ambedkar Nagar community. The centre played a crucial role in OSCAR’s emergency response to the pandemic, providing medical support and vaccine education to those in need.
Her dedication and contributions have been instrumental in furthering the Foundation’s mission, and her continued involvement is greatly valued.



Tom Taylor
Tom is an Economics student at The University of Edinburgh. Since 2019, he has been a devoted supporter of the OSCAR Foundation, starting with his encounter with the UK tour at Brighton College. Tom actively fundraises for OSCAR and continues to do so. In 2020, Tom volunteered for a month with the OSCAR programme in Mumbai. During his time here, he assisted the Data team and Football coaches, gaining first hand insight into OSCAR’s impactful work on the ground. Witnessing the tangible impact OSCAR has on the lives of children further fueled his passion for their mission. Tom also completed a 5-day mini triathlon in Edinburgh to support OSCAR’s initiatives. The challenge served as a means to raise funds and awareness for the foundation. Tom’s believes that his involvement with OSCAR has not only opened his eyes to the remarkable work but has also solidified his commitment to supporting the foundation’s efforts. He says that he quickly felt a sense of belonging within the OSCAR family and is grateful for the opportunity to serve as a Charity Ambassador.

Ruby Sowerbutts
Ruby is a Biology graduate from the University of Bristol and is embarking on a Master’s in Translational Cardiovascular Medicine.
Ruby joined the OSCAR family in 2016 when she worked on the first UK tour. She published a very successful ‘Global Cook Book’ to raise funds and toured the UK with Ashok delivering assemblies in schools. Ruby was instrumental in launching and heading up the International Young Leader programme.
Ruby assisted on all three UK tours, speaking to over 10,000 pupils. In 2019 Ruby handled the logistics and team management for the Dana Cup OSCAR girls triumphant tour to Denmark.
Ruby has volunteered for OSCAR in Mumbai and Jharkhand many times. She loves OSCAR so much; she chose to celebrate her 21st birthday with her OSCAR family on a boat in the Bay of Mumbai.

Phoebe Mayhew
Phoebe Mayhew is a History with Innovation student at the University of Bristol.
Phoebe has wholeheartedly embraced OSCAR’s cause, becoming a dedicated believer and supporter, deeply impressed by the foundation’s extensive work. In January 2020, Phoebe embarked on a month-long visit to Mumbai, where she was astounded by OSCAR’s unwavering commitment to the boys and girls involved and their relentless dedication to helping as many children and families as possible. During her stay, Phoebe had the privilege of sitting in on and assisting with the ManCity Cityzens Giving Programme for the OSCAR young leaders. Witnessing firsthand the transformative impact of providing these young individuals with the tools to become future leaders left a lasting impression on her. She took part in the High Five for OSCAR campaign, pushing herself to complete a challenging combination of cycling, running, and swimming to raise funds.
Phoebe deeply understands the priceless opportunities that OSCAR provides, and she eagerly anticipates future visits and continued support. Her unwavering commitment to OSCAR’s mission reflects her genuine desire to contribute in any way she can and create a lasting impact on the lives of the children and families supported by the organisation.

Tinka Hughes
Tinka, 20 years old, is in her second year at The University of Edinburgh, studying sport science. She plays for the university hockey team and keeps team spirit up with her positive energy that we got to know so well.
She took a gap year before university during which she travelled to Mumbai for a month and worked with the OSCAR foundation, which she has described as ‘the most incredible and eye opening experience’, Tinka has chosen to become a young ambassador for the charity.
She did a lot of work with the nursery and enjoyed teaching the children games and songs that they could take with them as they grow up.
Tinka and her dad, Olly, ran 80 km in 2 days along the Thames path back in 2019 before she went out to Mumbai and then completed a mini triathlon in 2020 with Tom Taylor, another young ambassador, raising funds for OSCAR during extremely hard times of COVID.

Aanya Shah
Aanya Shah, a rising sophomore in high school, has been a cherished member of the OSCAR Family for over a year now. Aanya has actively organized various fundraisers, including biking 100 miles and selling chocolates at her school. She also collaborated with her father to host an event, where all the proceeds were dedicated to funding a pizza party for the children within the OSCAR Foundation. Witnessing the positive impact of these fundraisers and how the funds directly benefit children in India brings her great joy. Recently, Aanya has taken on a new project to further support OSCAR. She is diligently working on creating a podcast focused on raising awareness about child protection within the OSCAR Foundation. Aanya plans to interview members of the foundation, using their stories and insights to spread the word about OSCAR’s mission and make a difference in the lives of children. As India holds a special place in Aanya’s heart as her ancestral home, the children at OSCAR have a profound significance to her. She eagerly looks forward to making more meaningful memories with the OSCAR family and continuing her efforts to support and uplift the lives of these children.