The start of
Cricket for Care Charity
It all began in 2003. Recalling how the idea of setting up a charity for cricket came up, Shyam Bhatia said,“When I launched my book, "Portraits of the Game," in South Africa in 2003, it quickly gained popularity, and people started demanding to buy it. However, I had promised all players who shared their stories for the book that I would not sell it.”
“That’s when one of my banker friends, Salman Mahdi from Deutsche Bank, and his boss, the late Anshu Jain, who was a cricket enthusiast, came up with a solution. They decided to launch my book in London and offered me $10,000 in exchange for 50 copies of the book. This marked the beginning of the charity concept.”
This private function by the bank was attended by prominent figures such as Michael Holding, Allen Lamb, and the former BCCI President, the late Raj Singh Dungarpur.
Charity begins from home and extends to the West Indies
Shyam Bhatia donated the proceeds from Deutsche Bank to the Dubai Cricket Council (DCC), marking the start of the Cricket for Care Charity. This act was akin to charity beginning at home and then spreading to other parts of the world.
Bhatia donates $10,000 to Dubai Cricket Council
Shyam Bhatia donated the money from Deutsche Bank to the Dubai Cricket Council (DCC) and handed it over to Abdul Rahman Falaknaz, chairman of the Dubai Cricket Council. The purpose behind Bhatia's $10,000 donation was to support DCC's plans of organizing special coaching clinics for young cricketers, supervised by top professionals. During that period, the DCC used to host the Al Rawabi inter-school tournament, and they decided to allocate Bhatia's donation to the cricketers in need who participated in this tournament.
Bhatia hands over $10,000 to Michael Holding for West Indies Cricket
During the seventh Shyam Bhatia Awards in 2007, West Indies legendary pacer Michael Holding presented the awards. Burhan Khan, ABN Amro bank manager, presented Bhatia with $10,000 (approximately Dh36,780) for his book "Portraits of the Game," which Bhatia subsequently donated to the development of West Indies cricket through Holding.
Shyam Bhatia sponsors South African spinners to sharpen their skills in India
In May 2008, Shyam Bhatia sponsored seven young South African spinners to attend a two-week course on spin bowling in Mohali, Punjab. The course was conducted by Devendar Arora, Narendra Hirwani, and Umesh Patwal. The seven spinners were Corbyn Dolley, Keshav Maharaj, Daryn Smit, Aubrey Swanepoel, Thandi Tshabalala, Roelof van der Merwe, and Jonathan Vandiar. Roelof van der Merwe and Keshav Maharaj later went on to become outstanding performers in international cricket.
Addressing reporters in Johannesburg after announcing his support for the spinners, Bhatia said, "Cricket made me who I am today, and I believe that sport has no boundaries, religion, or color. I have to thank a lot for my success. It has opened so many doors for me, and this is a way of saying thank you to the game. I consider it my privilege to be involved and am pleased to be able to help youngsters. India is the perfect place for young spinners to sharpen their skills."
Gerald Majola, then CEO of Cricket SA, expressed his gratitude to Bhatia for the generous sponsorship that could help develop a string of exciting young spinners and foster a spin culture in South Africa.
Interestingly, Roelof van der Merwe was later selected to play for Bangalore Royal Challengers in the Indian Premier League. When Shyam Bhatia visited South Africa, he learned about van der Merwe's selection and was very pleased with his growth. Van der Merwe then personally thanked Bhatia and presented him with the Bangalore Royal Challengers jersey.
Shyam Bhatia’s Cricket for Care Foundation in Rajkot amidst Yuvraj Singh’s breezy knock
November 12, 2008
Shyam Bhatia visited Rajkot and distributed 50 cricket kits to the Saurashtra Cricket Association. Niranjan Shah, head of the Saurashtra Cricket Association, and his son Javdev Shah, received the kits. They were handed over to the association to be distributed to local schools and district councils.
The event took place during a special day in Rajkot. The Madhavrao Scindia Cricket Ground in Rajkot was hosting the first One Day International match of the England tour of India. Bhatia often combines his kit distribution with international matches, since that makes it easier for cricketers and officials to attend these functions.
In this ODI match in Rajkot, England, led by Kevin Pietersen, was beaten by 158 runs. India won the match mainly due to an exceptional hard-hitting knock from Yuvraj Singh. His innings of 138 off just 78 balls was studded with 16 boundaries and six sixes. India posted a total of 387 for 5 and restricted England to 229.
Most of the England and Indian cricketers autographed Shyam Bhatia's "Portraits of the Game" book. This included autographs from Indian skipper MS Dhoni, England skipper Kevin Pietersen, who scored 63 runs in that match, and Virender Sehwag, who scored 85. Zaheer Khan, who picked three wickets in that match, and Andrew Flintoff and Stuart Broad, also signed the book.
Cricket for Care reaches rural cricket in South Africa
In March 2009, Shyam Bhatia made a significant contribution to rural cricket in South Africa. During the first Castle Test between South Africa and Australia at the Liberty Life Wanderers in Johannesburg, he donated 100 cricket kits worth over R300,000 to Cricket South Africa
During the presentation, Bhatia expressed his passion for making a difference in the development of the game worldwide. He remarked, "I enjoy contributing to the development of the game around the world and especially like supporting the growth of the game in South Africa. It is my wish that these cricket kits are put to the best possible use by this country's talented rural cricketers."
The President of Cricket South Africa (CSA) at the time, Dr. Mtutuzeli Nyoka, and CSA CEO Gerald Majola, were presented with copies of Shyam Bhatia's second edition of the 'Portraits of the Game' book.
Gerald Majola praised Bhatia's gesture, saying, "Shyam is always looking for ways to help South African cricket. This is not the first time he has made such a generous sponsorship to South African cricket. This support will go a long way in developing the game in rural areas."
Dennias Carlstein, President of Rural Cricket in South Africa, expressed appreciation for Bhatia's timely support. He stated, "I am in Vanderbijlpark, finishing the Rural Cricket Week, which features 170 cricketers, so this is music to my ears. We can cover vast areas through this sponsorship. It's a wonderful gesture by Bhaita, and we sincerely thank him for his support."
Bhatia donates kits to the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN)
In August 2009, Shyam Bhatia traveled to Kathmandu and donated 50 sets of cricket kits to the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN). Accompanied by his late elder brother, Lachu Bhatia, they handed over these sets to nine institutions, including Tribhuvan University, Birendra Sainik Awasiya Mahavidhyala of Bhaktapur, Greenland Children Academy, Ananda Bhumi School of Mulpani, Cricket Association for the Blind, Apex Academy of Sarlahi, Pulchowk Engineering Campus, Laboratory School, and the National Cricket Association of the Deaf.
CAN President Binay Raj Pandey announced that the remaining cricket gears would be distributed to various institutions across the country. He expressed gratitude to Bhatia for his generous contribution to Nepali cricket and looked forward to his continued support in the future.
Addressing the gathering, Bhatia stated, "Cricket has given me so much that I am obliged to give back. I promise to return here as soon as a new cricket stadium is built in Nepal. The idea behind publishing my cricket book, 'Portrait of the Game,' was to help generate funds for the needy."
Bhatia then presented his book to Ganesh Nepali, Nepal’s Minister for Youth and Sports. Speaking at the function, Ganesh Nepali commented, "We should learn from Bhatia. A man from outside our country is willing to help Nepali sports." CAN vice-president Upendra Bhattarai and spokesperson Tarak Mani Dixit were also present at the occasion.
Bhatia tracks down young run machine Sarfraz Khan
In November 2009, shortly after 12-year-old Sarfraz Khan broke Sachin Tendulkar's record for the highest score in Mumbai's Harris Shield inter-school match with a knock of 439 runs, Shyam Bhatia located the boy in Mumbai. Not only did Bhatia present him with a cricket kit, but he also agreed to cover his education expenses.
Bhatia discovered that Sarfraz Khan's father, Naushad Khan, used to play domestic cricket in the UAE, representing Mashreq Bank in Sharjah cricket tournaments. Sarfraz Khan was invited to the Cricket Club of India (CCI) for the release of Shyam Bhatia's second edition of "Portraits of the Game," and to his delight, former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar was there.
Speaking about the joy in Sarfraz Khan, Shyam Bhatia, who takes pleasure in bringing smiles to the faces of cricketers by distributing cricket kits through his Cricket for Care program, said, "It was a pleasure to see the excitement in the boy's eyes. It was his dream to meet Gavaskar. The boy was highly motivated as Gavaskar spoke to him for nearly 20 minutes and gave him some vital tips. He advised him not to look at the scoreboard while batting, assuring him that he would automatically know of his half-century when the crowd applauds. Gavaskar also advised him not to expect to score 400 or 200 runs every time he bats. Even a short knock of 60 runs in the process of his team's victory should be considered a valuable contribution."
Sarfraz was presented the Cricket for Care cricket kit by Indian cricketers Kiran More and Zaheer Khan.
During that trip, Bhatia also presented cricket kits to 30 children from different schools in Mumbai. Sarfraz Khan was then granted a membership at the CCI, with Badal Mittal, then-president of CCI, offering him free use of all facilities.
Shyam Bhatia’s Cricket for Care boosts Zimbabwe Cricket
Shyam Bhatia's Cricket for Care reached out to Zimbabwe in 2010 at a time when Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) was involved in constructing more facilities for the game. Shyam Bhatia made a significant donation of cricket equipment towards the Zimbabwe Cricket Development Programme, which included balls, bats, helmets, wicketkeeping gloves, and other protective gear.
Bhatia personally handed over the donation to representatives of the five domestic franchises at a ceremony in Harare. The franchises then distributed the kits within their provinces to children who could not afford to buy them. Speaking about Shyam Bhatia's gesture, ZC board chairman Peter Chingoka.said, "This donation means a lot to not only our development programme but even more to the young cricketers at the grassroots level who will soon receive the kits. Zimbabwe Cricket ( ZC) has always believed in making cricket a sport that embraces all Zimbabweans, regardless of where they live or go to school. Thanks to Mr. Bhatia's generous contribution, we can continue to do just that."
Speaking at the function, Shyam Bhatia said, "Cricket has made me who I am today. The opportunity to give underprivileged children around the world the chance to benefit from cricket brings me immeasurable joy." Bhatia's gesture through his Cricket for Care initiative lifted the spirits of many budding cricketers in Zimbabwe, especially considering the complete collapse of their school system in 2008. This had a detrimental impact on the schools' cricket development programme, and the underprivileged children were hit hard by the high cost of kit and equipment.
Trevor Mutangadura, ZC's general manager for cricket affairs and also in charge of development, stated, "Shyam Bhatia's Cricket for Care donation will greatly contribute to ensuring that the children in our programme have the right equipment. This will help them enhance their natural talent from our early coaching plans."
Shyam Bhatia's Cricket for Care program brings smiles to Japan and helps create history
One of Cricket for Care’s remarkable achievements was the distribution of cricket kits in Japan. In June 2011, Shyam Bhatia provided cricket kits to Japan in the aftermath of an earthquake and tsunami. Bhatia's compassionate gesture brought back joy to the faces of children in Japan.
The Japan Cricket Association (JCA) had initiated a Cricket for Smiles program, visiting 250 schools over 18 months to teach cricket to children. Shyam Bhatia, who was the patron of the Dubai Cricket Council at that time, supported JCA's program by donating 250 sets of cricket equipment. Each set consisted of four bats, four stumps, 12 balls, and batting tees.
Talking about his motivation behind reaching out to Japan, Bhatia stated, "My aim is always to assist cricketers who cannot afford to play the game. Through my Cricket for Care program, I have supported cricketers in Afghanistan, India, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. I contacted Andrew Faichney, the ICC Regional Development Manager, expressing my desire to help Japan, and he connected me with JCA officials."
Naoki Alex Miyaji, the Chief Executive Officer of JCA, expressed his delight at Bhatia's noble gesture, saying, "The earthquake measuring 9.0 on the Richter scale, and the tsunami that struck Northeast Japan, was the most devastating natural disaster in Japanese history. Around 28,000 people lost their lives or went missing. Many people lost their families, friends, homes, jobs, and even their smiles. Numerous children are in desperate need of something to bring them joy, happiness, and restore their courage. We established Cricket for Smiles to contribute in the best way possible to these children. I thank Bhatia for his offer."
The impact of Shyam Bhatia's efforts to distribute cricket kits became evident when in 2020, Japan qualified to participate in the Under-19 World Cup. Naoki Alex Miyaji wrote a letter to Bhatia shortly after their team's qualification, stating, "Your contribution to the game here has played a vital role during the last decade and made a significant contribution to enabling us to qualify for the Under-19 World Cup in 2020."
Cricket for Care charity extends its reach to Indonesia
Shortly after Shyam Bhatia's kit distribution in Japan, his attention turned to another country. In 2011, he traveled to Jakarta to distribute cricket kits to children in Indonesia. Bhatia was aware that Cricket Indonesia was established in 2000 and had become a member of the ICC in 2002. The organization, initially known as the Indonesia Cricket Foundation, was founded by representatives from the Bali and Jakarta leagues.
Accompanying Shyam Bhatia on this trip was his brother, the late Lachu Bhatia. They received a warm welcome with boys and girls holding a large banner of Cricket Indonesia to greet them.
T. Albert of Persatuan Cricket Indonesia expressed his appreciation for Bhatia's gesture, stating, "Indonesia is developing cricket with limited equipment availability. Bhatia's donation is a significant blessing and answers the demand for cricket kits in many regions and schools."
Shyam Bhatia’s Cricket for Care Foundation returns to Rajkot after eight years during the India-England Test Match
November 8, 2016
Shyam Bhatia's Cricket for Care Foundation distributed kits in Rajkot for the second time, eight years after the first distribution in 2008. The second distribution took place on November 8, 2016, coinciding with the first-ever Test match in Rajkot between India and England. The first distribution event was held during a One Day International game between the same teams.
Shyam Bhatia, along with his late brother Lachu Bhatia and coach Gopal Jasapara, Associate of Cricket for Care, flew in for the event. Fifty kits were distributed to local clubs, councils, and academies. They arrived at a time when cricket fever had gripped Rajkot due to the historic Test match being held at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium. The England team was led by Alastair Cook, while India was captained by Virat Kohli. England's Joe Root, Moeen Ali, Ben Stokes, and Alastair Cook scored centuries, while Murali Vijay and Rajkot's own hero Cheteshwar Pujara scored centuries for India.
The kit distribution function, sponsored by the Ramesh Goenka Foundation from Mumbai, was attended by hundreds of children at the Genius English Medium School. Niranjan Shah and Jaydev Shah of the Saurashtra Cricket Association addressed the gathering.
Shyam Bhatia’s Cricket For Care Foundation provides cricket kits to 43 clubs in Vadodara
In January 2019, Shyam Bhatia visited Vadodara, formerly known as Baroda until 1974. The city is home to Moti Baug, one of the oldest cricket grounds in Asia. Baroda has achieved great success in cricket, having won India's prestigious Ranji Trophy six times. As always, Bhatia reached out to the underprivileged children in Vadodara.
In the presence of former Indian cricketers Kiran More, Nayan Mongia and Atul Bedade, he distributed cricket kits to 43 clubs in Vadodara. The distribution event took place at ex-Indian wicket keeper Kiran More's academy in Vadodara. Bhatia expressed his intention for the cricket kits to be utilized by clubs and young individuals to enhance their skills. He has already distributed over 1,000 cricket kits to those in need, not only in India but also in other countries. Bhatia expressed his happiness in being able to bring smiles on the faces of so many children. Coach Gopal Jasapara, Associate for Cricket for Care, accompanied Bhatia.
Appreciating Bhatia's gesture, More said, "He has donated cricket kits to deaf and mute children as well as disabled players. My academy is honored to host this event." In Vadodara, Bhatia once again emphasized the significance of playing cricket and the valuable life lessons it offers. He stated, "Cricket is more than just a game; it teaches us a lot about life and the importance of teamwork. I have distributed nearly 1,000 cricket kits to those in need, not only in India but also in other countries. The cricket kits distributed should be utilized by the clubs and youngsters."
Off to Ikhar and Bharuch in Gujarat
On 21st January 2019, Shyam Bhatia travelled to Ikhar and Bharuch in Gujarat. Former Indian pacer Munaf Patel had a cricket academy in Ikar. Bhatia distributed 25 cricket kits to the government schools as part of the Cricket for Care programme. A large turn out of budding cricketers assembled in both centres.
Shyam Bhatia’s Cricket for Care reaches Odisha
Odisha, once known as Orissa, is an eastern state in India that has hosted many international sporting events and made significant contributions to hockey. However, in cricket, not many names have emerged from this place, despite having one of the finest stadiums, the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack. One of the outstanding stars from this state is Debashish Mohanty, who played in 45 One Day Internationals and two Test matches between 1997 and 2001.
The Odisha Cricket Association, in association with Shyam Bhatia's "Cricket for Care" and Shree Jagannath Steels & Powers Ltd., hosted the cricket kit distribution ceremony at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack. At the kit distribution ceremony, fifty kits were distributed to the affiliated schools of the Odisha Cricket Association, covering all districts.
Around 300 school children were present at the ceremony. Tusharkanti Behera, Minister of Sports & Youth Services, Government of Odisha, was the chief guest of the ceremony. Prashant Ahluwalia (Shree Jagannath Steels & Powers Ltd), and Asirbad Behera (General Secretary, OAA & CDAA, and Secretary, FAO) attended the function.
Affiliated members of the Odisha Cricket Association, including Pankaj Lochan Mohanty (President, OCA), Sanjay Behera (Secretary, OCA), Bikash Pradhan (Treasurer, OCA), and Suvasish Senapati (Member, Apex Council, OCA), were also present at the event.
Shyam Bhatia’s Cricket for Care boosts Ukraine cricket
In July 2021, Shyam Bhatia's Cricket for Care provided a significant boost to Ukraine cricket. Bhatia's longstanding connection with Ukraine Cricket Federation (UCF) CEO Kobus Oliver gave him the opportunity to support young cricketers in Ukraine. Oliver, a renowned coach in the UAE, had a longstanding relationship with Shyam Bhatia.
Bhatia flew to Kyiv, where he not only distributed cricket kits to youngsters but also presented copies of his book, 'Portraits of Cricket,' to all board members and special gifts to UCF President Hardeep Singh and Kobus Olivier.
The UCF appointed Shyam Bhatia as the official patron of Ukraine cricket. Upon receiving this honor and expressing delight over cricket development in Ukraine, Bhatia said, "I am so happy and pleasantly surprised to see that Ukrainian cricket has such strong support from the local community. I first learned about the grassroots cricket work underway here from Kobus Olivier a couple of years ago. My friendship with him goes back to 2014 when he was the CEO of Cricket Kenya. When Kobus approached me for help, I was glad to send him six full sets of softball cricket kits."
The kit distribution function was special in many ways, with a large number of expat communities from India and Pakistan attending the event. Bhatia, accompanied by Olivier, also had a meeting with Andrey Pilleroa, the owner of the Astor schools. As a result of the interaction, Bhatia donated additional cricket kits to support the country's school cricket program.
Kerala Cricket welcomes Bhatia’s Cricket for Care Charity
Shyam Bhatia's gesture of distributing free cricket kits received a warm welcome in Kerala. He was honored by the Malappuram District Cricket Association on behalf of the Kerala Cricket Association in Kottakkal Municipality. Bhatia's Cricket for Care initiative distributed free cricket kits to the schools in Malappuram District.
Commenting on the joy of the people in Kerala, Shyam Bhatia said, "The enthusiasm for cricket in this region touched my heart. Over 2,000 children attended the function. It was a great feeling to distribute 50 cricket kit bags, which were airlifted to this town for the schools. Each bag contained four sets of bats, batting gloves, leg guards, thigh pads, arm guards, two helmets, and 12 cricket balls. This will enable these schools to play the game with proper equipment."
TC Mathews, then Vice-President of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and President of the Kerala Cricket Association, had learned about Bhatia's passion to support needy children when he was in Dubai to inaugurate Kricket's Spero Academy.
P.K. Kunhalikutty, Kerala's Minister of Industries and Information Technology, and Manjalamkuzhi Ali, Minister of Tourism, inaugurated the cricket kit distribution function.
In his speech, Mathew said, "At a time when cricket gear has become too expensive for an ordinary child to afford, Bhatia's initiative to provide free cricket kits to disadvantaged children has touched the hearts of many around the world."
Bhatia then visited Kerala's picturesque Wayanad Cricket Stadium. "I have traveled to cricket venues around the world, and Wayanad is one of the most beautiful stadiums. The facilities here are excellent, and it would be ideal for teams from other states of India to tour and play at this venue," he remarked.
Shyam Bhatia’s Cricket For Care Foundation reaches out to children in Mumbai slums
Shyam Bhatia has always been on a mission to provide cricket equipment, facilities, and coaching to underprivileged children worldwide. He diligently does this through his Cricket For Care Foundation, which was launched in 2007.
In February 2022, Bhatia donated 40 kits to 40 schools in Mumbai. Bhatia's aim was to reach out to the children in the slums. This function, supported by the Cricket Club of India was held at the Cricket Club of India, Brabourne Stadium. India captain Dilip Vengsarkar was the chief guest. Other India players that attended the function along with Premal Udani, President of Cricket Club of India, were Karsan Ghavri, Dinesh Karthik, Vinod Kambli, Sanjay Bangar, Salil Ankola, and Abhishek Nayar Nadim Menon, Member Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) organised the programme with support from the President of the Cricket Club of India.
Commenting on why he opted for Mumbai, Bhatia said, "My aim was to primarily reach out to children from the slums. Each kit contains three sets of playing equipment."
The legendary Sunil Gavaskar, lauding Bhatia's effort, said, "I want to congratulate Shyam Bhatia for his generosity." He also spoke to India's leading newspaper, Times of India, about Bhatia's kit distribution. One of the other reasons for Bhatia to chose this city was that Mumbai is also known as the Nursery of Indian Cricket. This city has produced many legends of the game who have made Indian cricket proud.
Bhatia always has a message for the children when he presents them with the kits. He believes that "Sport is one of the best ways to instill discipline in young children and help them develop good habits." He always reminds them about the motto of the Cricket For Care Foundation initiative, which is, "To instill in children integrity, honesty, dignity, truth, courage, sportsmanship, and a burning desire to be a good human."
Bhatia also explains why his love for cricket goes beyond passion: "It's a way of life for me," he says.