Mumbai: The Wankhede Stadium transformed into a vibrant sea of blue as the Mumbai Indians (MI) played their final match of the 19th season of the Indian Premier League (IPL), with 20,000 children from various regions of Maharashtra in attendance.
Among the attendees were many visually impaired and specially-abled children, all there for the annual Education and Sports for All (ESA) game hosted by MI in collaboration with the Reliance Foundation.
Nita Ambani, Chairperson and Founder of the Reliance Foundation, commented, “First, I must say, look at the joy. The excitement here is so wonderful to experience. It is a very cherished day for all of us at Mumbai Indians. We started ESA by Reliance Foundation 16 years ago, and inclusion has always been a part of our ethos.”
Sharing her personal connection, Ambani recalled, “I was visiting the National Association for the Blind. I have been working with those children for the last twenty years. Just before the IPL season, they told me, ‘Nita Ma’am, can we please come for the MI match? We have never been to a stadium before and want to feel the excitement of a live match.’ So here they are today. Hundreds of them. I hope they go back with cherished memories.”
Ambani also highlighted the broader impact of their initiatives, stating, “We have reached over 29 million children across 28 states of India through our sport and education initiatives. We work with children from the age of five all the way to the global stage, providing coaching, sports science, and practice facilities. We have high-performance centers not just in cricket, but across athletics, football, and many other sports. Our goal for India is a shared dream that all of us have: to one day bring the Olympic Games to our country. It is the dream of a billion Indians.”
Children from approximately 40 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) throughout Maharashtra participated in the ESA game, including 200 specially-abled children and 100 visually impaired kids.
To facilitate this initiative, over 550 buses from the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) brought the children to the stadium. The endeavor was supported by more than 2,400 volunteers from NGOs, Reliance, and Dhirubhai Ambani International School, alongside over 100 medical personnel. In addition, the Mumbai Police deployed 550 traffic officers and 450 police officers to ensure safe and smooth operations during the event.
