In an interaction with R Sundar, Co-Founder & Director, Hi 5 Youth Foundation, we explore how basketball is being used as a powerful tool to build self-confidence and create opportunities for underserved and tribal children. Through its Hope thru Hoops programme, the Foundation combines structured sports training with educational support and long-term development. Its Pathways to Success initiative further helps young people pursue higher education, gain practical work experience and access career opportunities. Sundar discusses the transformative impact of grassroots sports, the challenges of scaling such programmes across India, and how corporates and philanthropists can contribute to creating sustainable pathways for youth development.
1. How is Hi 5 using basketball to build self-confidence and self-belief among underserved children?
We build self-confidence through the experience of getting better at basketball and achieving success on the court. Hope thru Hoops is our rigorous, multi-year basketball development programme, which develops underprivileged and tribal children into skilled players and high-performance school teams. Children progress through three levels of training, supported by a defined curriculum, regular coaching and opportunities to compete.
The programme gives children one hour of training a day and more than 300 hours over a year. We provide coaching, playing kits and equipment (free of cost) so that they can participate consistently. This sustained practice makes progress visible: a child learns to score a basket, contributes to a team’s performance and experiences the joy of winning. These winning moments help children build self-belief through their own achievements.
Our focus is on what that success changes in how children see themselves. As their game improves, they develop the confidence to aim higher, pursue education and imagine new possibilities for their future. Basketball remains part of that journey as they grow from school players into young adults.
2. What are some key transformations you have witnessed through Hi 5’s programmes?
One example is Yogita Basawat, who began her basketball journey at a tribal Ashramshala and now coaches at the same school. She is also pursuing an undergraduate degree while raising a child. Her journey shows how a player can build on her achievements to continue her education, enter coaching and guide the next generation in her own community.
Another example is a group of six boys who joined our programme at a Goregaon municipal school in 2015. They went on to win district championships and secure college admissions through sports quotas. When financial pressures threatened their education, our Pathways to Success programme helped them continue. Today, five work as full-time coaches, while Tasleem works in programme operations at Hi 5 office.
These journeys show what long-term support can make possible. Basketball continues to open doors as children move through school, college and employment. Former players returning as coaches and programme staff also strengthen the opportunities available to the children who follow them.
3. How does Hi 5 connect sports with education and career opportunities?
Basketball acts as a passport that opens doors at different stages of a child’s life. Through Hope thru Hoops, children develop as players and school teams. Pathways to Success then provides education support, internships and practical training, helping them use their sporting achievements to pursue a college degree and better economic opportunities in sports, sports management and related areas.
The process begins while children are still in school. During Grades 11 and 12, basketball training continues alongside financial aid, admission guidance, tuition support and English language classes. For tribal children who need accommodation to continue studying, we assist with hostel admissions. This support addresses practical barriers that can otherwise interrupt their education.
As students move into college, we help with admission processes and financial support. Sporting achievements can also create opportunities for admission through sports quotas, as they did for the Goregaon players. The aim is to help children continue studying while remaining connected to basketball.
During college, paid internships give students practical experience in coaching, field operations and tournament management. At our summer camps in 2025, 74 college students received paid internships with Hi 5. These roles allow them to earn while studying and gain experience relevant to work in the sports ecosystem.
The journey can extend over ten years or more, from learning the game to completing education and preparing for employment. Basketball remains a constant: a student can continue playing, gain experience assisting a coach or organising a tournament, and later pursue work in coaching, operations or related fields.
4. What are the biggest challenges in scaling grassroots sports programmes across India?
For us, scaling means building a professional, scalable and sustainable sports enterprise that uplifts underprivileged and tribal youth. The challenge is to sustain regular participation and the quality of training over several years as we reach more schools and communities.
Attendance is a major operational concern. School schedules, vacations and parental consent can interrupt training. In remote and tribal areas, distance and limited transport make it difficult for children to attend consistently. Some attempts to run programmes in day schools have not worked because children live too far away. Residential and boarding schools help address this barrier because children live on-site and can access training more regularly.
Keeping girls involved as they grow older requires sustained engagement with families. Concerns about safety, injury and social expectations can lead parents to discourage participation. We work with communities and adapt programme arrangements to help girls stay involved. Reaching a school is only the beginning; maintaining participation year after year is essential.
Expansion also requires suitable courts, trained coaches and school partnerships that support a long-term programme. We therefore assess whether regular training can be sustained in each location. Our priority is to build programmes that children can continue to access, with a clear connection to education and future livelihood opportunities.
5. How can corporates and philanthropists support grassroots sports for development?
Corporates and philanthropists can help hundreds of children build self-confidence through basketball and access opportunities in education and employment. Supporting Hi 5 center or a group of teams enables that change across a community, particularly in rural and tribal areas.
A partner can support a center’s multi-year Hope thru Hoops programme, including regular coaching, playing kits, equipment, competition participation and suitable basketball infrastructure. Sustained support gives successive groups of children the opportunity to train, improve and experience winning moments. It also allows the programme to remain part of school life over several years.
Partners can extend this support through Pathways to Success by helping students complete school and college, funding education-related costs and enabling paid internships and practical training. This connects investment in grassroots basketball with opportunities in coaching, programme operations, tournament management and related work.
The outcome we want partners to see is a community of young people who believe in themselves, continue their education and pursue better economic opportunities. When former players return as coaches and staff, that support reaches the next generation as well. This is how an investment in centers and teams can contribute to the future of rural and tribal communities.
