HCL Partners With Chennaiyin FC To Promote Football At Grassroot Level

Noida, April 10, 2024: HCL Foundation has collaborated with Chennaiyin Football Club (FC) to nurture football at the grassroot-level and use the sport to empower youth and community engagement.

To this effect, HCL Foundation, which drives the corporate social responsibility agenda of global technology company HCLTech in India, has joined hands with Chennaiyin FC, a two-time ISL winner, as the Social Cause Partner for its 10th season in Indian Super League.

"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, " said Dr Nidhi Pundhir, Vice President, Global CSR, HCLTech and Director, HCLFoundation.

"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," said Ekansh Gupta, General Manager, Chennaiyin FC.

Chennaiyin FC offered 500 match tickets to students and youth of HCLFoundation’s Sports For Change (SFC) initiative to attend the ISL game on April 9 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Chennai. Additionally, 20 children from 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 Police Boys and Girls Clubs of Arumbakkam and Kannaginagar, Chennai.

Chennaiyin FC players and staff members will join hands with HCLFoundation for a plantation activity at a Harit afforestation site, underscoring their commitment to environmental sustainability. They will also visit Kannaginagar Police Boys and Girls Club and interact with the Sports for Change students from Kannaginagar to motivate the students to pursue sports professionally.

Chennaiyin FC is the Chennai-based Indian football club founded in 2014. The club has two Indian Super League titles to its name, winning them in 2015 and 2017-18 seasons.  As part of Chennaiyin FC’s initiatives for the development and growth of football in Tamil Nadu, the club has established a sound grassroots level structure that boasts a CFC Reserve, an U-18, an U-15 and an U-13 team.