The children met six-time Winter Olympian Shiva Keshavan who inspired them about Olympic values as part of the International Olympic Committee’s “Let’s Move” Campaign.
Mumbai, NFAPost: Nine hundred children celebrated a unique Olympic Day organised by the Reliance Foundation, featuring a special carnival as part of the IOC’s Let’s Move India initiative, promoting volunteerism and sports.
The event on Saturday was held at the Reliance Corporate Park (RCP) in Mumbai, treated children from disadvantaged communities across Mumbai to a day filled with fun, sports, and educational activities centred around Olympic values such as excellence, respect, and friendship.
The highlight of the event was a meet-and-greet session with six-time Olympian Shiva Keshavan. He shared his experiences and emphasized the importance of key Olympic values such as excellence, respect, and friendship with the children. Keshavan also participated in a special “move and groove” session with the children.
The event aimed to inspire children to embrace an active lifestyle and recognize its significance. More than 200 employees from Reliance Ecosystem across verticals volunteered for the initiative, overseeing various sports stations such as basketball, football shootouts, walking races, and fitness sessions, alongside drawing and art activities. These sessions were designed to instil the importance of physical movement and activity among the children, motivating them to adopt healthier lifestyles.
Speaking about the initiative, Olympian Shiva Keshavan said Reliance Foundation has always taken the lead in supporting the growth of the Olympic movement in India.
“Let’s Move is a great way to help children understand the benefits of being physically active and how movement is medicine. The kids were extremely enthusiastic, and their passion and energy were infectious,” said Olympian Shiva Keshavan.
He faced many questions and said they will learn a lot from this experience. “As an Olympian, I hold the Olympic values very close to my heart, and they are values that will serve the kids well in their lives too. I hope some of these kids are inspired to play sports actively and maybe even pursue a career in it,” said Olympian Shiva Keshavan.
IOC Digital Engagement and Marketing Director Leandro Larrosa thanked the Reliance Foundation for collaborating on the Let’s Move initiative in India and creating this opportunity for young people to meet and learn from an Olympian.
“The initiative is all about encouraging people to embrace the joy of movement and an active lifestyle as the world warms up for Paris 2024 and we hope this will inspire more kids in India to join the fun of sport,” said IOC Digital Engagement and Marketing Director Leandro Larrosa.
Through the Let’s Move India campaign, Reliance Foundation aims to promote inclusivity, development, and the importance of physical activity among 10,000 children from disadvantaged communities across multiple cities in India in the coming weeks. This initiative will be facilitated by 500 volunteers from Reliance employees, who will work towards encouraging a healthier lifestyle and fostering positive growth among these children.
The Let’s Move India edition aligns with Reliance Foundation’s goal of supporting the expansion of the Olympic movement in India and engaging more kids with Olympic values through sports. The initiative is part of the Olympic Values Education Programme (OVEP), supported by a partnership between the Reliance Foundation and the IOC.
About Reliance Foundation
Reliance Foundation’s initiatives have touched the lives of over 22 million young people since 2013 across the country from over 13,000 schools and colleges, enabling an opportunity for a talented kid anywhere to be able to achieve their dream of a career in sport. It is especially committed to ensuring more presence and the success of girl and women athletes in India and designs its programmes in a manner that offers them maximum opportunities.
Reliance Foundation’s Sports for Development Programme aims to develop the sporting ecosystem in India starting from the grassroots. Through its scholarship and athletics programmes, Reliance Foundation currently supports over two hundred athletes in more than 10 Olympic sports. Reliance Foundation also operates three world-class athletics training facilities in India and has partnerships with the IOC, IOA, AFI and Odisha government.
Reliance Foundation runs the Reliance Foundation Young Champs football academy, which is India’s highest rated football academy, with many graduates going on to represent various ISL clubs. Reliance Foundation’s approach to developing the football ecosystem includes organizing three grassroots initiatives: Reliance Foundation Youth Sports, RFYC Naupang League and Reliance Foundation Development League.
About the International Olympic Committee
The International Olympic Committee is a not-for-profit, civil, non-governmental, international organisation made up of volunteers which is committed to building a better world through sport. It redistributes more than 90 per cent of its income to the wider sporting movement, which means that every day the equivalent of USD 4.2 million goes to help athletes and sports organisations at all levels around the world.
