Pune, Apr 04: What began in 2014 on a modest public squash court in Thube Park has grown into one of India’s most impactful grassroots sports movements. Founded by Abhinav Sinha under the initiative Rolling Nicks, Chance2Sports is redefining access to squash by ensuring that talent—not privilege—determines opportunity.
Over the past decade, the Chance2Sports Foundation has emerged as a powerful force in identifying and nurturing young athletes from diverse and underserved communities. Built on a grassroots-first approach, the program has successfully created a pipeline of nationally competitive players, many of whom have risen through challenging conditions to achieve remarkable success.
Today, Chance2Sports supports athletes aged 9 to 17, with several players breaking into the Top 8 of Under-11 national rankings—demonstrating the strength and sustainability of its talent development model. The program initially focused on uncovering potential in overlooked regions such as Pune, Kalamb, Aurangabad, and Assam, where young players often trained on uneven courts vulnerable to monsoon flooding.
A significant turning point came in 2022, when veteran sports professional Chetan Desai joined forces with Abhinav Sinha to establish the Chance2Sports Foundation. Together, they launched SportsSkill, a free, technology-driven platform that empowers athletes from tier-2 and rural regions to log training, track performance, and receive personalized coaching feedback.
“The current training system benefits those who can afford it. We are flipping that model,” said Chetan Desai. “This initiative ensures that dedication, discipline, and consistency matter more than privilege.”
Since its inception, Chance2Sports has trained over 300 athletes and produced multiple national champions. By 2025, four athletes from the foundation represented India at the Asian Junior Championships. Among them, Anika Dubey, at just 15, became an Asian medalist in the Under-19 category—one of the few from Maharashtra and the only player from Pune to achieve this distinction. Vasundhara Nangare secured third place at the Under-15 Asian Junior Trials at age 13, while Vinay Shinde and Akanksha Gupta also earned places in the Asian Junior Championships.
In October 2025, the foundation launched an ambitious ₹25 crore fundraising initiative aimed at conducting nationwide talent identification camps over five years. The program plans to support 150 selected athletes with world-class coaching, nutrition, and sports science resources, with the ultimate goal of producing India’s first World Junior Squash gold medalist from a grassroots program.
“I’ve always believed in the potential of young athletes from overlooked areas,” said Abhinav Sinha. “Instead of waiting for talent to come to us, we went out to find it—and it’s been incredibly rewarding to see these athletes succeed on national and international stages.”
Looking ahead, Chance2Sports aims to evaluate nearly 3,000 children by 2030, selecting 300 for advanced training and development. What started as a single public court initiative has now evolved into a nationwide movement, reshaping the future of Indian squash and proving that world-class talent can emerge from any background.
At its core, the success of Chance2Sports lies in the inspiring journeys of young athletes who have overcome barriers, discovered their potential, and achieved extraordinary milestones.
