Goal!!! It's raining footballs and coaches on Bengaluru streets

Bengaluru: Every journey, no matter how long, begins with a single step. Or in this case, a simple kick!  For Tejas R., then a 19-year-old, a journey of a thousand miles began when he decided to end his engineering career, drop out of college and reach out to the underprivileged in our society, through a sport that had always kept him on his toes.

Once a state-level football player, Tejas now spends his time teaching the less fortunate on the city streets how to play football. He doesn't just coach them — he turns them into coaches too!

He has formulated a well thought-out program, probably conceptualised in his engineering brain whereby, boys from his organization coach children from  well-off families who need assistance with the game.

"This programme helps them become independent. Not only can they pay for their education but earn a little for their hard work!" said the proud coach.
 They have four coaches at present, all of them validated by the U.N. Tejas is the only Asian to have partnered with the UN. He has represented India at  Street Football World Festival in France, which is the official festival of Euro Cup 2016.

Through Sparky football, Tejas and his team reach out to underprivileged children affected by HIV, AIDS and autism and children with special needs.
It's all about spreading happiness, he says.

"We help them cultivate life skills and grow in confidence through football performances and juggling! It makes them happy and they learn -- which is the point, really!” His commitment has brought him a long way. “I want these kids to become their own heroes. I don't want this to end with me; I want to leave a legacy behind. I've always wanted that.” says Tejas, now 24. “Initially it was really hard, I was working at a call centre to make ends meet, but that was 5 years ago.”  Currently traveling across Karnataka, he has met 1,500 kids, all the while spreading the message of sportsmanship. And gifting footballs.