Sunil Gavaskar has announced a star-studded charity golf event in Mumbai on March 6, bringing together leading names from Indian and international sport to raise awareness for the CHAMPS foundation, which supports former Indian sportspersons facing financial and medical challenges.
The DP World Celebrity Golf Event will be held at the Bombay Presidency Golf Club in Chembur on Friday and is expected to feature more than 100 participants across an 18-hole course. While the celebrity lineup gives the event immediate draw, the event’s larger focus remains on Gavaskar’s long-running effort to spotlight and support former athletes who have fallen on hard times.
Founded by Gavaskar, the CHAMPS foundation – Caring, Helping, Assisting, Motivating, Promoting Sportsperson – works to provide dignity, care and assistance to former Indian international athletes. The initiative has become an increasingly key part of conversations about athlete welfare in India, especially for those no longer in the public eye.
The event will feature a high-profile mix of cricket legends and stars from other sports. The cricket roster includes Yuvraj Singh, Gundappa Vishwanath, Venkatesh Prasad, Harbhajan Singh, Ajay Jadeja, Parthiv Patel, Murali Kartik, S. Badrinath, Murali Vijay, Nikhil Chopra, along with international names such as Eoin Morgan, Michael Vaughan and David Lloyd.
Beyond cricket, the event will also include Leander Paes, Prakash Padukone, and Indian professional golfers Neha Tripathi, Ridhima Dilawari and Gaurav Gheri.
“The CHAMPS Foundation was created with the belief that those who have brought glory to India through sport should never be left behind in times of need. This event is not just about golf; it is about giving back to the sporting community that has given us so much,” Sunil Gavaskar said.
Leander Paes also backed the initiative, saying the event reflected the values of sport teaches – resilience, discipline and standing by one another, while adding that it was inspiring to see athletes from different disciplines come together for a shared cause.
The event is supported by multiple partners, including Asian Paints, Tata Sierra, Campa, 3 Below and Godawan Estuary Premium Water, as Mumbai prepares to host one of the more unique cross-sport charity gatherings on the calendar this week.
