GM
Ritesh, 16, wants to start a cricket academy for underprivileged children to
prepare them for Delhi U-16 team
A 16-year-old
student has sketched down a business plan to start a cricket academy for
underprivileged children and prepare them for Delhi's under-16 cricket team.
The thought occurred to GM Ritesh when he was studying in Bangalore around two
years ago. “We have a huge garden with arrangements being made to play cricket
but earlier I would play on the public grounds, where several talented players
suffered for the lack of having a coach or proper guidance. When I suggested
that they join an academy, they told me managing education was difficult
enough, joining an academy was a far-fetched dream. That's when it struck me
that something should be done to encourage this talent. That way we would have
not one but many Dhonis and Kohlis in the Indian team,” says the 16-year-old
cricket enthusiast whose uncle Kiran Kumar Grandhi owns the Indian Premier
League's (IPL) Delhi Daredevils team.
Talking about the
business plan for the academy that would be inaugurated
next year in March-April, Ritesh plans to approach government schools and
bastis to scout for talent to provide training to 20 selected students. “We
will take children belonging to the age group of 12 to 14 and would prepare
them for Delhi's under-16 matches as DDCA has already backed out of under-14
circuit. For the selection process, tennis ball based cricket matches would be
organised in their area so that they can play in their comfort zone. The
selection process will be done by a coach,” says Ritesh and adds that he is
looking for people who are really passionate about the sport. On the budget
front, Ritesh has decided to approach investors during his summer break. He
also has plans to request his uncle to utilise Delhi Daredevils' academy in
Palam for the purpose of practice and training as well as their equipment post
IPL. “Once the IPL is over, several equipment like bats, balls, stumps either go
waste or are kept in the store. More equipment could be procured from Meerut as
they are manufactured there and prices double by the time they reach Delhi.
Overall the initial investment including sportswear, equipment and other
facilities cost around Rs 5 lakh and a monthly expenditure of Rs 30,000 which
includes adequate diet for the players,” says Ritesh. Even as his grandfather
GM Rao is the director of GMR group with his father GBS Raju taking care of GMR
Energy, Ritesh wants no help in his struggle as he wants to create something of
his own. “They are my family and they will support me if and when need arises,
but this is my idea and for me it is about a sense of ownership. I want to try
out things on my own from funding to the functioning of the NGO. GMR would be
my last resort,” said Ritesh. It helps that he has a financially strong family
to bring a sense of security, who will step in if and when he needs them. He
agrees. Meanwhile, mother GS Smitha who has seen his passion for cricket swell
over the years, is aware of his many business ideas, “including one where he
wanted to buy cricket bats from Meerut and sell them in Delhi and a mobile
application, which was also based on cricket,” she says, proud of his
entrepreneurial spirit.
Source: DNA-7th May,2017
