The much awaited moment was came. Last conference was on #i3 Orientation and guest lecturer was Mr. Kumar NJ Bharath sire which was a great experience. Day before Dr. Surendra Ayer sir called me and. In some way he gave a hint. From last night I was scrutinizing who will be coming for next conference..??? And my guess was absolutely correct and very excited to meet him and that person was Mr. Ashok Shankar Rathod Sir.
He is founder of OSCAR foundation tagged as "Education with Kick". The Organization for Social Change, Awareness and Responsibility (OSCAR) is a not-for-profit organization which provides high quality football coaching to deprive kids in Mumbai and across different areas of India. OSCAR runs a unique program that not only teaches sport to children & youth, but also helps them to understand the value of education and Future.
The OSCAR's vision is to create a world that enables youth to become role models through sport, to take active roles in various community initiatives and to mobilize other members of their community by using sport for positive social change.
OSCAR's Mission
- To use sports to teach life skill, positive values and enable active citizenship.
- To make children and youth aware of their rights and also their responsibilities within society or community.
OSCAR's objectives
- To support children and youth to stay in school.
- To discover, develop and foster young talent.
- To educate youth as responsible and all around the citizens.
The second conference was held in "IBIS Hotel" and reporting time was 1.45 pm. The conference was hosted by Dr. Surendra Ayer Sir, he welcomes all delegates with lots of energy. The conference started by watching one video, which was truly inspiring. I learnt from video that, "Never Give Up ..!!!!" until you not get success. Unless and until you not gone through failure you will not get success or achieve anything and if you get success without failure or struggle its only give you satisfaction but not give another level of success. We hear many times "Hard Work is key to success" but according to me "failure is key to success', because failure tells you that you are on the right path but this is not a right time so you have to work hard. Failure teaches many things and success give potential to complete next objective.
Dr. Surendra sir welcomes him very interestingly. He said "Today the personality is coming which is known as
"Change Maker". Ashok Shankar Rathod Sir entered with great smile and when we clapped for him he said, "Bharath sir and Surendra sir. They appreciate me more than I do". He starts telling his story and experienced which was very inspiring.
He grew up in "Ambedkar nagar" in south mumbai which is slum area. His father work as fisher man. He belongs to one of low income community which 70 % of livelihood depends on fishing. His father wants to give him strong education. So, his father enrolled him BMC school (one of the government school). He don't know how to read English as well as Hindi, but any how he completed his primary schooling that was till 4rth standard. He went to next school for secondary schooling, so beside that school their was local fishery. Everyday morning their was breakfast break for 30 minutes, so his friends utilized that 30 mins to earn money from that fishery. They easily earn 100-200 rupees per day but when their parents restrict them to go their. They were very smart. gave half money to their parents and half salary kept for their own. Like this slowly slowly they worked their as a full-time job and also drop-out from school. Because they started earn more money. Families thought that, "Our child not study but at least earning money" in very early age so they appreciate their money. They don't know were to utilized that money and so they Started to playing cards. Make some rules that whoever would be winner, he have to give party to all group and like this they started drinking, smoking, gambling and that activities build one good rapo between all friends. If single person fight with other group than all goes together and fight with that group so, this activities they started regularly. Some how this information got to their parents. Parents thought their children going out of their control and "We have to give them more responsibility, so they will more responsible". They come with one good solution that is "marriage" so, In the age of 16-18 they married. Know they are 24-26 years old and also had 1-2 kids.
He don't know English so, from 5th grade to 9th garde and he never passed in English subject because always he scared about english. As he promoted to 10th grade, it means he have to give board exam and passed all subjects in one short. He always scared with his father because
"he is so strict". So he with the help of friends he passed 10th grade and family was so happy about it. After this he took admission in college and was so sad because at college all subjects are in English and for help his friends are not with him so, his interest were lacking towards education. He not attend college daily, only he goes to attend exams and use to attempt only match the following & fill in the blanks question. Like this he passed 11th grade.
When he promoted to 12th grade. He already set mind that "He will not able to pass 12th because it has board exams and his school friends are not their to help him". One day his father came to him and said, "You complete your education but, you have to work as well". Because of family problem he started working. He worked as sales man, courier service and many more. He failed in 12th grade and quit his studies. After this gap of 3 years, In 2006 he came to contact with
"Magic Bus" which is NGO run for kids as well as youth. They teach sports for education and development of communities. And they gave responsibility to sir of 3 slum areas. 1st was DHARAVI which is biggest slum area of Asia. Second one was MANDHERU and third was MANKHURD. He experienced same problem and issues faced that communities as his own community facing.
One day he was returning from his job to home by walking. He saw very shocking picture where some of the children smoking and they are from his own community. While children see him they hide behind the car. He shared same incident with his elder brother and his brother said, "you find them smoking, While I saw them drinking". Suddenly he realized same this happing like his friends and he thought this drop-out students story shouldn't be my friends or my story. One day he talk with that drop-out children and asked them, "Do you want to play football...???". They immediately agree and said yes so, sir told them time and venue. Shockingly next day that drop-out children came on decided venue and on correct time. But sir was not their because that was unexpected from them. They called to sir and inform that they are on ground. But sir not had "Football" so he teach them some energized and fun games and commit to them that on next week will bring football for you all.
As he doing job so, he only gave them time on saturday. He earn 1900 hundred per month and he buy football worth 350 rupees from his salary. He take decision to resign that job, because he wanted to gave full time to kids.
On the first day of club 25 kids are enrolled and from that 8 were failed in exams. All parent of failed students came and shouted to sir that, "because of you they failed and you are responsible for their education..!!!". He said, "but how...???". Parents said, "They all time playing football...!!!!", but he said, "I'm only teach them once in week only for 2 hours". Than sir took one parents meeting were he explained them all things that what is their perspective and all. And also took one meeting with boys where he make some rules. He explained them that,"If you want to play football and if you want to participates in competition than you have to follow three things". That was:-
- Go to school regularly.
- Behaviour should be good.
- Avoid to use abusable language.
- Don't involve in addiction.
If anyone follows this things than only we send them for competition. After one year he saw lots of improvements and changes in kids. So he again took parents meeting to informed about their kids status. Sir told kids to share their experience with OSCAR. All kids shared their experienced and all were happy to hear their kids. When sir find all parents are in agree than he shared main mission that is girls education. He said, "You are giving this comfort to your son's which is very commendable. but Why you are not giving same comfort to your daughters". All parents are angry and said, "than who will do our house holds work". Sir said them,"If you all not send your girls than I'm not going to teach football to your son's". Somehow parents agreed but only for 1 hour in a week. Like this his journey starts.
In 2008, He told his father after 2 years about OSCAR foundation. He said to his father that,"I'm running OSCAR foundation and now their are 40 kids". But his father totally opposed him. Because he thought if any kid will injured parents will complaint at their home and he can't bear this things. But sir doesn't stop he continue his work.
In 2009 he awarded by CNN-IBN "Real Hero Award".Because of the tremendous work of OSCAR, Ashok Shankar Rathod sir was awarded the RELIANCE Real Hero award and the award was presented by the Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan. Within three years of starting OSCAR, Ashok Shankar Rathod sir was invited to global youth conferences to represent India and to share his success story to inspire more people. He has been featured in 67 plus newspaper articles and interviewed by numerous television channels.

In question-answer session he said, "I'm doing this all things without Expectations. He is most down to earth person I had ever meet. He shared his experience like he know us for long time. Last question I asked him that, "Sir you visited to 15 countries, so which is your best experienced till now". He said, "Each country has different different experience". And he shared two very interesting incidents. 1st was when he first ever time he visited to out of country that is "London" and 2nd was last he visited to "Jordan". Literally it was great experience to meet Ashok Rathod sir.
CHange MAker to THE REAL HERO.........