Sachin Tendulkar Foundation To Develop 50 Playgrounds In Naxal-Hit Dantewada

With the Naxalite presence gradually decreasing, the administration has introduced the ‘Maidan Cup’ in collaboration with the Mann Deshi Foundation and Sachin Tendulkar Foundation. This project aims to develop 50 playgrounds in Dantewada to boost sports culture and talent.

“At least 20 playgrounds have been developed in the district so far with community participation, and we aim to meet our target by October," said Dantewada collector Kunal Dudawat.

Last year, the state government organised the Bastar Olympics 2024 to promote sports talents from the Bastar region, including Dantewada and six other districts.

The goal was to connect sports talents from Naxal-affected and sensitive districts with the world through games, he said.

“With this vision, we introduced the Maidan Cup to provide dedicated playgrounds for children and youth, further boosting sports talents in collaboration with the Sachin Tendulkar Foundation and Mann Deshi Foundation," he said.

Dudawat explained that in the first phase, 50 playgrounds will be developed in as many villages, and the initiative will be expanded to the entire district in the next phase.

Vibrant playgrounds are being developed in existing spaces within government high, higher secondary, and porta-cabin schools in the district, with community participation, he said.

The official noted that 20 playgrounds have been developed with facilities for 13 different sports, including a running track, shot put, javelin throw, discus throw, long jump, wall climbing, and more.

He mentioned that while the district administration could have built the playgrounds independently, the idea was to involve the community and iconic figures like Sachin Tendulkar to attract youth and children.

The playgrounds were developed using locally available materials, with each facility costing no more than Rs 4 lakh. Local children painted the boundary walls of the playgrounds, Dudawat said.

“With these facilities, we hope the next sports personalities of the country will come from the Bastar region. Youths of Bastar have shown exceptional athleticism and possess physical and genetic traits advantageous for certain sports. Many youngsters from the region join the police, paramilitary, and armed forces, and we want them to excel in national and international sports as well," he said.

“In the long run, we aspire for the next Sachin Tendulkar, Neeraj Chopra, and PT Usha to emerge from Bastar," he asserted.

The official mentioned that panchayats developing the best playgrounds under this initiative would be rewarded with a skating park.

He also highlighted the district administration’s efforts to build a residential sports city, where elite athletes from the region will receive specialized training.

This sports city will feature cricket, football, and hockey grounds, swimming pools, and other sports facilities, he added.

“For the first time in India, there is a community movement to build playgrounds for children," said Divya Sinha, who leads the project from the Mann Deshi Foundation.

“We want Dantewada and Bastar to be recognised as hubs for climbing and skateboarding rather than being known for Naxalism," she said.

The Mann Deshi Foundation has been implementing the Maidan Cup initiative funded by the Sachin Tendulkar Foundation, she said.

“Imagine growing up in a place where children have never experienced the thrill of scoring a goal, the joy of swinging on a jungle gym, or the pride of competing in a kabaddi match. For years, this was the reality for thousands of kids in Dantewada, where conflict and poverty stole not just livelihoods but childhood itself. But today, something extraordinary is happening," she said.

Sinha mentioned that around 70 per cent of Indian schools lack proper sports facilities, and over 500 million Indians have never played a sport.

“In Dantewada, many children have never had a safe space to run, play, or just be kids. This isn’t just about games. Research shows that playgrounds reduce dropout rates, improve mental health, and even deter youth from joining extremist groups," she said.

Playgrounds have already been completed in Chhindnar, Kasoli, and Heetameta villages, among others, directly impacting 10,000 children, she said.

“In Dantewada, we have trained sports teachers of 100 government schools as part of Mann Deshi Foundation’s travel coach programme. In Maharashtra, we have trained 1,700 sports teachers from government schools. For the first time, the Maidan Cup initiative has been undertaken in Dantewada," Prabhat Sinha from Mann Deshi Foundation said.

More than 150 villagers, including teachers, farmers, labourers, workers, and children, gathered to create playgrounds in Dantewada, he said.

After Dantewada, the Maidan Cup initiative will be replicated in Jashpur (Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai’s home district) and Raigarh districts, he added.