Neeraj Chopra is continuing his association with the UBS Athletics Kids Cup as the grassroots athletics initiative enters its third season with a target of reaching one million children across India.
The Olympic and world champion has been associated with the programme since October 2024, when he joined as its official ambassador and advisor. The initiative, supported by UBS and organised in India by Dspowerparts, is focused on introducing children to athletics through simple, accessible competitions based on running, jumping and throwing.
From School Grounds to a Nationwide Movement
The UBS Athletics Kids Cup has expanded significantly since its launch. During its first season, the programme engaged around 100,000 children across 1,000 schools in three cities. By the end of its second season, its reach had grown to more than 250,000 children across over 2,500 schools and five cities.
The 2026 season is now aiming to take that reach further, with an ambition to inspire one million children across the country to become active through sport. The current five-city programme covers Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad and Chennai.
The programme is designed for children between the ages of seven and 15. Participants compete in three basic athletic disciplines: a 60-metre sprint, long jump with a designated jumping zone and a 200-gram ball throw. The format is intended to make athletics accessible to children while giving schools a practical way to introduce organised sporting activities.
Building Confidence Beyond Competition
The initiative is positioned as more than a series of sporting events. Its stated focus includes physical activity, confidence, personal development, discipline, mutual respect and healthy habits.
For Chopra, whose international career has made him one of India’s most recognised athletes, his association with the programme brings attention to the importance of introducing children to sport at an early age. When he joined the initiative in 2024, the programme said his involvement would support efforts to encourage more children to participate in physical activity and help schools organise local competitions.
The programme also places emphasis on making participation inclusive. Rather than focusing only on identifying elite athletes, its format allows children to experience competition and develop basic athletic skills in a school environment.
Teachers Become Part of the Long-Term Plan
As the UBS Athletics Kids Cup expands, organisers are also focusing on the role of schools and teachers. The 2026 season includes an ongoing Train-the-Trainers programme designed to equip sports teachers with practical guidance and athletics knowledge.
The objective is to extend the impact of the programme beyond individual competition days and encourage athletics to become a more regular part of school life. Schools receive support and a ready-to-use toolkit to organise their own UBS Athletics Kids Cup competitions.
This school-based approach is central to the programme’s plan for reaching a much larger number of children. Instead of depending only on central sporting events, the initiative uses schools as the main platform for participation and development.
Season Three Sets a Bigger Goal
The third season marks the programme’s next stage of expansion. The organisers have set an ambition to reach one million children across India over the coming seasons, building on the more than 250,000 children already reached during its first two years.
The UBS Athletics Kids Cup is also scheduled to hold Grand City Finals in Ahmedabad, Chennai, Hyderabad, Pune and Mumbai in January 2027. The competition will continue to focus on children aged seven to 15, with separate rankings for girls and boys.
With its growing school network and expanding city presence, the initiative is seeking to make athletics more accessible to children across different communities. Chopra’s continued association adds visibility to that effort, while the programme’s focus on schools, teachers and participation aims to create a wider foundation for grassroots sport in India.
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