Sports for Social Impact

We recognise sports as a powerful force for social change where it enhances lives and fosters a more inclusive society. Our research-driven approach informs policies, advocating for sports in conflict resolution and improving access to education and livelihood opportunities.

Enabling Sports Action towards

Harnessing Aspirations of Youth

We acknowledge the scope of sports for driving social impact to be immense. It is not only a way to lead better lives but is also impactful in building a more integrated, inclusive and robust society. With our work, we generated evidence on the impact of sports through research and informed policies to better inculcate it as a tool for conflict resolution as well as to access better education and livelihood opportunities.

Featured Work

Sports Action toward Harnessing Aspiration of Youth (SAHAY)

As conversations around Sport for Development (S4D) begin to gain momentum, the impact of sport on the youth and their overall well-being cannot be ignored. Global evidence has led to the adoption of the 2015 Kaza Resolution – Sport for Development and Peace Framework. It has proven to be a catalyst in the transformation of youth, especially those belonging to challenging socio-economic backgrounds and circumstances – in the areas of early and/or forced marriages, nutrition aspirational framework and identity development, and also increased engagement for those most at risk of leaving school.

To further the impact of Sports Development, PDAG has conceptualised and implemented its own flagship initiative Sports Action towards Harnessing the Aspiration of the Youth (SAHAY), for the Government of Jharkhand to recognise the need for sport as a contributor to the holistic development of young people from some of the most remote and conflict-ridden regions of the state. Along with it being a policy initiative that uses sport as a tool for development, conflict resolution and post conflict confidence building, it also serves as the perfect platform to spot and harness young sporting talent in the hinterlands. Through sport and sporting culture, India has seen its marginalised and backward communities emerge as the epicentre of porting talent. Moreover, it aims to provide an alternate productive avenue for the youth as opposed to the path of violence and conflict such as districts highly affected by Left-Wing Extremism (LWE).

This focus on conflict resolution is complemented by the initiative’s proposed impact on development indicators for nutrition, gender and employment. It looks at creating a strong aspirational framework, contributing to identity development among women, including a sense of empowerment, accomplishment and agency which then results in better health outcomes and personal freedom.

Left Wing Extremism Affected Districts
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