Seven young athletes from Mumbai’s underserved communities have won gold for India at the South Asian Box Langdi Championship in Bhutan, held on July 17, 2026. The seven-member team, Viraj Bhilare, Gaurav Sonawane, Rugved Rahul Mohite, Prathamesh Chavan, Shree Dhadham, Prathamesh Pagare and Rishabh Ingale, emerged as South Asian champions, with each player also receiving an individual gold medal alongside the championship trophy.
Their achievement is significant not only because of the international victory, but also because many of the children come from families of daily wage workers, domestic workers and vegetable vendors and have had limited access to formal sporting infrastructure.
They trained in public grounds and narrow chawl corridors under Coach Nandu Sir, with Federation Secretary Maruti Sir handling logistics and strategy. The team had previously won an international championship in Nepal on April 25.
Their Bhutan campaign was fully supported by Mumbai-based Elysium Smiles Foundation, which covered tournament-related expenses including travel, accommodation, kits and documentation. The foundation has now said the seven have been selected for another international Box Langdi event in Thailand, but ₹51,000 per player is required towards travel, accommodation and competition expenses.
From Chawls To Champions
For the seven young athletes, the journey to an international podium began in Mumbai neighbourhoods where professional sporting infrastructure was largely out of reach. Box Langdi, a fast-paced traditional Indian sport, requires agility, balance, stamina, speed and coordination, demanding regular physical training and teamwork. Yet the athletes trained in spaces available to them, including public grounds and narrow chawl corridors, rather than relying on expensive sporting academies. Their progress came through a combination of regular practice, local competitions and guidance from Coach Nandu Sir.
The team’s international breakthrough came in Nepal on April 25, where they competed in the Asian Box Langadi International Championship and emerged victorious. Their success there paved the way for another international opportunity in Bhutan, where they represented India at the South Asian championship on July 17. Competing against an international field, the team secured the championship trophy, while all seven players won individual gold medals.
The athletes’ backgrounds make the achievement particularly significant. Their parents include daily wage earners, domestic workers and vegetable vendors. For families managing everyday expenses, international sporting travel and competition fees can be difficult to afford. Yet the children continued to train and compete, eventually progressing from local and national-level contests to international championships.
When Money Blocks Talent
The biggest obstacle was not necessarily their ability to compete, but the cost of getting to the competition. International participation involves travel, accommodation, sporting kits, documentation and other expenses that can quickly become unaffordable for families with limited incomes. For these young athletes, financial constraints therefore risked becoming a barrier between qualification and participation.
That is where community and philanthropic support became crucial. Mumbai-based Elysium Smiles Foundation stepped in to support the Bhutan campaign, covering the team’s tournament expenditure. The organisation has said that the support included travel, accommodation, kits and documentation, ensuring that the athletes could represent India despite their families’ financial limitations.
Elysium Smiles Foundation Chief Trustee Komal Udhwani said the athletes had demonstrated that “talent, determination, and hard work can overcome every obstacle”, while expressing pride in having supported their journey. The foundation’s involvement also highlights an important reality of grassroots sport: sometimes the difference between a talented child competing internationally and staying behind is not ability, but whether someone can help meet the cost of participation.
Beyond One Championship Victory
The Bhutan victory has now opened another door for the seven athletes. According to Elysium Smiles Foundation, they have been selected to represent India at an upcoming international Box Langdi event in Thailand. However, the next stage brings the same financial challenge back into focus.
The foundation has publicly appealed for support, stating that ₹51,000 is required per player to cover travel, accommodation and competition expenses. In a recent update, it said the aim was to sponsor all seven players, while another update indicated that funding had already been secured for some players and support was still being sought for the remaining athletes.
The situation creates a striking contrast. The athletes have already proved themselves at international level, first in Nepal and then in Bhutan. They have the selection, the experience and the results. Yet their ability to participate in the next competition still depends on whether sufficient funds can be raised.
Their story therefore goes beyond one sporting victory. It raises a larger question about access to competitive sport in India. Grassroots talent may be widespread, but opportunities to train, travel, compete and progress are not always equally available. For children from low-income families, every additional step in a sporting career can carry a financial cost.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
The success of these seven young athletes deserves recognition not as a story of children “overcoming poverty” alone, but as a reminder of the talent that can emerge when children are given an opportunity to pursue what they are good at. Their journey from Mumbai’s chawls and public grounds to an international podium shows that sporting potential is not limited by geography or economic background.
At the same time, it is worth asking why financial support has to become the deciding factor after young athletes have already demonstrated their ability at district, national and international levels. Philanthropy and community support can open doors, as it did for this team, but sustainable sporting pathways require access to training, equipment, coaching and competition opportunities that do not depend solely on individual fundraising campaigns.
These seven children have already shown what they can achieve when someone helps remove the financial barrier. How many more young athletes across India could reach similar heights if opportunity reached them before talent was forced to give up?
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