Power of play

You can learn more about a person in one hour of play than one year of conversation

- Plato

We were pleasantly surprised to learn last week that  Hotfut Sports a company promoted by our son Pavit and his partner NIkhil were awarded The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) prestigious award for the best sports startup in India for the year 2015.

Is it not strange that we only start appreciating our spouse or child after the world bestows honour on them? Probably being in such close proximity to our loved ones, we see the blemishes more clearly than the glow, the thorn more than the flower.

As the applause grows so does my curiousity. 
I analysed the courageous, and daring journey of these two remarkable young men who are just a tad over the age of 30. Looking at the passion, the professional, courteous and dignified approach to life, reinforces my hope that the future of the world is an optimistic one. 
Given an opportunity it is amazing what youth can achieve.

Four years ago, these two football lovers and their friends, could not find any suitable place to play. 

One evening a frustrated Pavit said, "Dad, its so sad that NIkhil and I, who come from well off families, can not find places to play, what then must be the fate of the average Indian child?" 

"So what do you want do about it?" I asked.
"I don't know what, but we will do something about it", replied Pavit.

Four months later he came back to me and said, "Nikki and I are going to set up and operating world class Futsal, venues to provide affordable play spaces and sports education for children and young adults."
"What exactly is it you are trying to do?" I asked
"Dad, in a nutshell, we want to do good."

Soon thereafter they set up Hotfut with their first venue on a piece of uncultivated farmland almost right in the middle of the city. Since then has never stopped having fun and setting up multiple venues across several cities.

I always looked at sport as something to be with friends and to remain healthy. Never looked at it as a means of education. But when prestigious soccer schools from across the world started approaching Hotfut for setting up soccer academies, it was an eye opener.

Soccer and other sports education is not merely about play and health but also a very powerful way of building character and confidence in people.

Sports education consists of four elements

• Technical
• Physical
• Social 
• Psychological

In India we have focussed only on the technical aspects of sport, but rarely on the other three aspects. As a result India rarely produces accomplished sportspersons.

Sport is much about building intellectual, spiritual and physical strength as it is for technique and style. 

This is why Hotfut's tie-up with the prestigious UK based Arsenal School of soccer is a key to in-school programs to catch and develop young people.

With sport, children often evolve into productive, responsible, happy adults. I look back at my school mates and realised that all those who were active in sport, seem to be healthier, happier and generally more successful in their professional and personal lives. 

It is a proven fact that no matter what career a person pursues, sports people generally perform better. But where are we going with sport in India? Hardly anywhere, because, there is a dearth of facilities, access to available facilities, and manner of managing the field of sport.

An awesome aspect is the work that Hotfut Foundation, the non profit NGO of Hotfut does in bringing play spaces and high quality sports education to the underprivileged child.

With several venues launched, each with a footfall of approximately 10,000 footfalls, Hotfut has spawned a vibrant and loyal community. Hotfut is where friends and competitors gather, play football and cricket, to blow off steam and generally have fun. 

As Neeraj succinctly put it, Hotfut is a place people come to discover themselves.