Infosys Foundation ties up with GoSports Foundation, grants Rs 30 cr to women athletes

Infosys Foundation, the philanthropic and CSR arm of IT giant Infosys, announced a program for junior and emerging women athletes, named “Girls for Gold” in collaboration with GoSports.

The program will span initially for 4 years, which will identify and support the progression of talented Indian women athletes between 13 to 19 years of age through collaboration with High potential academies and coaches in India. The program will also include Scholarship coaching, access to academies and performance recognition. The total grant provided for this program is of Rs 30 crore.

“We truly appreciate Infosys Foundation’s commitment to creating cutting-edge avenues for girls and young women to become sporting champions for India. The holistic model of the ‘Girls for Gold Program’ builds the ecosystem by investing in human and institutional capacity and creating talent pathways for future generations. We are confident of the impact that this unique program will have on the lives and careers of women athletes we will support and, more broadly, on Indian sport," said Deepthi Bopaiah, CEO – GoSports Foundation.

The program has been divided in to three-pronged approach. First, it will establish a strong cohort of women athletes who will be equipped to compete at the international level, help them build sustainable careers, and nurture them to become role models for the next generation. Secondly, it will build a pipeline of qualified and capable coaches who will help realise the aspirations of athletes and create an atmosphere of sustained sporting excellence. Third, it will help tech-enable the identified academies to make them world class training centers.

A Champion Advisory board has been created, comprising sports personalities that include former Indian Shooter and Arjuna Awardee Suma Shirur, former national table tennis champion B Bhuvaneswari and amateur boxing champion and Padma Vibhushan awardee MC Mary Kom.

Sumit Virmani, Trustee, Infosys Foundation, said: “At Infosys Foundation, a deep-rooted focus on education and women empowerment have been a key priority over the years. Collaborating with GoSports Foundation furthers this long-standing commitment to empower aspiring women athletes with a holistic ecosystem that can help nurture their dreams. Excellence in sports is a driver of social change and we are confident that this collaboration will help these talented young women realize their potential in sports, in an environment amplified with scientific, and tech-enabled processes.”

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