Marking half a decade of serving the less-privileged and the needy, the Sachin Tendulkar Foundation (STF) held a close-knit celebration in Mumbai on January 22nd, 2025, at The Bombay Club. Tributes and acknowledgements from friends, family, well-wishers, and non-profit partners highlighted the event as STF reaffirmed its commitment to improving lives, with primary focus areas of health, education, and sports for children.
The theme of the evening, "Shine Brighter Together," reflected the Foundation’s core mission of impacting lives, especially children, through sports, health, and education.
For Sara Tendulkar, who recently took on the role of Director at the Foundation, the evening marked her first official engagement. Following in the footsteps of her parents, Sara brings a fresh perspective, focusing on connecting with the youth and helping them reach their aspirations.
Reflecting on her family’s commitment to bettering lives and the transformative potential of the Foundation’s initiatives, Sara said, “Growing up, I was always inspired by my family, who shaped my understanding of the power of giving. I had the opportunity to witness the Foundation’s work and see the spark of hope that lights up in the lives of not just the children but in entire families. Over the last five years, the Sachin Tendulkar Foundation has touched over 10,00,00 young lives, and that’s a hundred thousand reasons to keep going. I am grateful to everyone who believed in us and stood by our side to make this journey possible.
“As Director, I cannot wait to build on what my parents started and make sure that every little dream gets noticed and nurtured. I look forward to this journey as we light up a world of possibilities for children who are the future,” he added.
A short film introduced the guests to the Foundation’s work, highlighting the continued dedication of the Tendulkars and STF towards empowering young dreamers through strategic partnerships. The work done by the 15+ NGO partners STF collaborates with was also acknowledged and applauded.
Coldplay’s Chris Martin was in attendance and engaged in a Tête-à-tête with Sachin Tendulkar. Reflecting on the Foundation’s journey, Sachin shared, “When I walked back to the pavilion one last time, I had an inkling in my mind that my innings was far from over. Anjali and I had this vision to do something to ease living for the less privileged and give young dreamers some assistance to believe in themselves and take flight. We realised that the germination of the idea was easier than implementing it. Eventually, STF came into being and now we’ve traversed half a decade of doing our bit. The journey is in full swing and with Sara leading the way now, I am confident that STF will continue to transform million dreams into reality and give wings to the doers.”
Starting with a humble vision of connecting with people and assisting them in realising their full potential, STF is now poised to expand its sports-for-development initiatives, benefiting millions more children and youth across the country. Looking to the future, STF aims to create advanced infrastructure in rural areas, strengthen healthcare access for children through collaborations with local hospitals and authorities, and introduce innovative education programmes aimed at bridging opportunity gaps and fostering skill development. By merging its core vision with new zeal, STF aims to make the next decade a time for fulfilling ‘billions of dreams.’
