Inclusive sports are steadily emerging as a powerful driver of social change in India, creating opportunities that extend far beyond the playing field. For athletes with intellectual and developmental disabilities, structured sporting programmes are helping dismantle stigma, strengthen self confidence, and open pathways to leadership, community participation, and international recognition. As conversations around diversity and inclusion gain momentum, collaborative efforts between corporates, sports organisations, and governments are demonstrating how sport can become a meaningful instrument of social development.
In this interview with TheCSRUniverse, Ms. Shashi Shetty, Head, CSR and Sustainability (India, Southeast Asia & Middle East), SKF India (Industrial) Ltd., discusses how the company’s long standing partnership with Special Olympics Bharat and its global Meet the World initiative are creating a structured ecosystem for athletes with intellectual and developmental disabilities to progress from grassroots training to global competition. She highlights why SKF India views inclusive sport as a strategic CSR priority, the importance of building sustainable cross sector partnerships, the transformative impact of international exposure through the Gothia Cup, and the organisation’s vision for expanding grassroots engagement to strengthen inclusion and long term athlete development across India.
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Q. Corporate engagement in sports is increasingly moving beyond sponsorship towards social development. From SKF India's ( Industrial) perspective, what makes inclusive sports a strategic CSR intervention, and how does it contribute to creating long-term social value for individuals and communities?
A. At SKF India Industrial, our core engineering philosophy is to reduce friction so that systems can perform at their true potential. We apply that same thinking to social impact. When we look at inclusive sport, we see a powerful, structured environment that removes friction for individuals who have historically faced enormous barriers, not just to competition, but to confidence, health, and community participation. Our partnership with Special Olympics Bharat, which supports over 1.5 million registered athletes with intellectual disabilities across India, is not a sponsorship. It is a development programmebuilt around a structured pathway: national selection, expert coaching, training camps, and international representation at the Gothia Cup. That structure is what distinguishes a strategic CSR intervention from a gesture.
The long-term social value is measurable. Athletes gain fitness, communication, and leadership skills that transfer well beyond sport. Families are drawn into a community of support. Communities shift in how they perceive intellectual disability. For us at SKF, that cumulative ripple effect, from the athlete to the family to the neighbourhood to the country, is precisely the kind of systemic, lasting impact that makes inclusive sport a serious area of investment rather than a feel-good initiative.
Q. Meaningful inclusion requires more than providing opportunities to participate. How does SKF India I(ndustrial)India define success in its efforts to empower persons with intellectual disabilities through sport, and what broader societal changes does it hope to influence through this approach?
A. Participation is merely a baseline, whereas true empowerment requires an ecosystem built on equal footing and ultimate performance. At SKF India (Industrial), we do not measure the success of our community initiatives by financial outlays or token tournament representations. Instead, our metrics focus on the tangible compounding growth in self-belief, dignity, and independence achieved by our athletes. As our unified football contingent prepares for the Gothia Cup 2026 aiming for a historic global hat trick, their elite competitive standard defines our success blueprint. We look at transformation metrics, like players from local regions mastering advanced team tactics and entering international arenas as defending world champions. Broader corporate compliance gives you a floor, but purpose gives you a lasting legacy. Through this rigorous approach, we hope to influence corporate India to move away from isolated charity toward sustainable ecosystem engineering. We want to spark a societal shift where inclusion is viewed as a core operating discipline. When communities witness these athletes conquering global stages, it rewrites the entire narrative of human capability.
Q. SKF India (Industrial)’s long-standing partnership with Special Olympics Bharat reflects a sustained commitment rather than a one-time intervention. What has enabled this collaboration to remain impactful over the years, and what key lessons has it offered about building scalable CSR partnerships?
A. What has kept the SKF India (Industrial) and Special Olympics Bharat collaboration impactful is its consistency, clarity of purpose and ability to create a repeatable pathway for athletes right from grassroots talent identification, national selection, structured training and global representation. This has never been a one-time intervention, but a long-term commitment built around inclusion, preparation, and global exposure. Our approach rests on the integration of three pillars- corporate enablement, specialized sporting expertise, and ecosystem-wide collaboration. We believe this 'trifecta' model serves as a scalable benchmark for driving meaningful, long-term impact in inclusion. The key lesson here forCSR is that scalable partnerships work best when they are anchored in a shared mission, backed by institutional strength and designed to create outcomes that go beyond an event.
Q. Through the SKF ‘Meet the World’ initiative, athletes with intellectual disabilities are progressing from grassroots training to international competition. How has this structured pathway transformed the way you approach inclusion, confidence building, and long-term athlete development?
A. The beauty of ‘Meet the World’ is how it moves beyond one-off events to offer a real, long-term journey. ‘Meet the World’ is SKF’s India ( Industrial) global CSR and youth development initiative that was launched in 2007, to serve as a pre-tournament to the Gothia Cup, which is now held across 20+ countries where SKF India ( Industrial) operates. Over the years, it has emerged as a strong testament to the power of collaboration between government, corporates, and sports federations in creating inclusive opportunities at scale.
With over 5,000 players supported globally, we’ve learned that consistency is key. In India, we’ve built a structured pathway that takes an athlete from their first local match all the way to the globalstage in Gothenburg. For these athletes, this structured approach is transformative. By providing consistent, supervised training, weoffer predictability and routine, which are essential for building both skill and autonomy. And we are seeing firsthand that theresults are profound.
The biggest change is in the athletes themselves. They are no longer just beneficiaries of a program but disciplined competitors. Seeing them step onto the Gothia Cup pitch with confidence and a true sense of belonging is the strongest validation of this model.
Q. India enters the Gothia Cup 2026 as the defending two-time champions in the Special Olympics Trophy category. Beyond the sporting achievement, what does this milestone signify for the larger movement towards recognizing and celebrating the abilities of persons with intellectual disabilities?
A. India entering the Gothia Cup 2026 as the defending two-time champions is far more than a sporting milestone it is a powerful affirmation of what is possible when inclusion is backed by sustained opportunity and belief. At SKF India (Industrial), we see this achievement as a testament to the talent, resilience, and determination of athletes with intellectual disabilities, while also challenging long-held societal perceptions around their capabilities. Through our partnership with Special Olympics Bharat and the SKF Meet the World initiative, our objective has always been to create an ecosystem where every athlete is empowered to realise their full potential. Success on the field inspires a much larger movement off the field one that promotes dignity, inclusion, equal opportunity, and greater acceptance within communities. We hope these achievements encourage more organisations and society at large to focus on abilities rather than disabilities, making inclusive sport an integral part of India's social development journey.
Q. Stories such as those of Ayaz Ahmad from Kashmir and Sanjib Patra from West Bengal demonstrate how sport can overcome social stigma and create new aspirations. How important are these individual journeys in reshaping public perceptions around disability and inclusion, and how does SKF India ( Industrial) ensure that such transformations continue beyond the tournament?
A. For us, stories like those of Ayaz Ahmad and Sanjib Patra represent the true impact of inclusive sport. They demonstrate that when individuals with intellectual disabilities are given the right opportunities, encouragement, and support, they not only excel onthe field but also challenge stereotypes, inspire their communities, and redefine perceptions of ability. At SKF India (Industrial), these journeys reaffirm our belief that sport is a powerful catalyst for inclusion, confidence, and social change. Through our partnership with Special Olympics Bharat, our focus is not just on preparing athletes for tournaments but on creating an enabling ecosystem that nurtures long-term personal growth, leadership, and independence. The confidence, resilience, and life skills developed through these programmes continue to empower athletes well beyond the competition, enabling them to become role models within their families and communities. Ultimately, our aim is to help shift the conversation from disability to ability and contribute to building a more inclusive society where every individual has the opportunity to realise their full potential.
Q. The Gothia Cup has evolved into a global platform for inclusive sport, while Meet the World now spans more than 20 countries. How does SKF India industrial leverage international exposure to create lasting developmental opportunities for Indian athletes instead of viewing global participation as a standalone achievement?
A. At SKF India Industrial, we see international participation as a milestone in a much larger development journey, not as the final destination. Platforms such as the Gothia Cup and Meet the World provide athletes with exposure to global standards of competition, teamwork, discipline, and cultural exchange, which are experiences that can significantly contribute to their personal and social development. Our approach is to ensure that the benefits of this exposure continue long after the tournament concludes. Through our partnership with Special Olympics Bharat, we focus on building confidence, leadership skills, social inclusion, and a stronger support ecosystem for athletes with intellectual disabilities. We believe that when athletes return from such global platforms, they become ambassadors of inclusion within their communities and inspire greater participation in sports.
By combining international exposure with sustained engagement, capacity building, and community support, we aim to create opportunities that have a lasting impact on the athletes’ lives, their families, and the broader movement for inclusive sports in India.
Q. The success of initiatives like Meet the World highlights the importance of collaboration between corporates, governments, and sports organisations. In your experience, what are the essential ingredients for building cross sector partnerships that can deliver sustainable and scalable social impact through sport?
A. Sustainable social impact through sport requires partnerships that go beyond sponsorship and are built on a shared purpose. In our experience, three elements are particularly important.
First, there must be a common vision among corporates, governments, and sports organisations regarding the outcomes they want to achieve, whether it is inclusion, youth development, health, or community empowerment.
Second, each partner should contribute its unique strengths. Governments can enable policy support and infrastructure, sports organisations bring technical expertise and grassroots reach, and corporates can provide resources, strategic direction, and long-term commitment.
Third, continuity is critical. Meaningful change does not happen through one-time events; it requires sustained engagement, measurable goals, and regular evaluation of impact.
Our collaboration with Special Olympics Bharat demonstrates the value of this approach. By working together with a shared commitment to inclusion and athlete development, we are able tocreate programmes that are not only scalable but also capable of delivering lasting benefits for individuals and communities
Q. Could you share some measurable outcomes from SKF India (Industrial)’s partnership with Special Olympics Bharat? For instance, how many athletes have been supported through the programme over the years, how many have progressed to national or international competitions, and what indicators do you use to assess long-term impact beyond participation?
A. Our partnership with Special Olympics Bharat has grown from a single milestone into a repeatable pipeline. In 2024, we sent India's first-ever Special Olympics Bharat football contingent to the Gothia Cup in Sweden 10 athletes and 3 coaches from six states: Delhi, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Puducherry, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. They went unbeaten and won the Gothia Special Olympics Trophy in their debut appearance. This year's 'Meet the World Road to Gothia Cup 2026' expanded that base significantly over 150 athletes from 16 states competed at the national selection tournament in Gwalior. From that pool, 25 are being shortlisted for national training camps between May and July, narrowing to a final squad of 10 who will represent India in Sweden. We track progress as a funnel state participation, national camp, international representation and growing from a 10-athlete debut to 150+ athletes competing within two years is our clearest measure of scale so far. Long-term impact tracking beyond this pipeline is still being formalized as the programme grows. What we can confidently point to today is the scale and consistency of athletes moving from grassroots to global representation.
Q. Looking ahead, how does SKF India (Industrial) envision strengthening its commitment to inclusive sports in India? Are there plans to expand the programme’s reach, deepen grassroots engagement, or introduce new interventions that can further enhance opportunities for persons with intellectual disabilities?
A. At SKF India (Industrial), our partnership with Special Olympics Bharat for the 'Meet the World’ Road to Gothia Cup' is rooted in a simple truth: sports have the unique power to break down barriers and level the playing field for everyone. Moving forward, we aren't just looking to sponsor an event; we want to scale this impact by taking the program into untapped, underserved areas of India, giving more youth with intellectual disabilities a genuine shot at a global stage. We are moving away from a single annual tournament model to back-year-round regional camps and deep grassroots training. Ultimately, our goal is to build a much more complete support system blending football with life-skills, mentorship, and health checkups.
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