Star-studded field to feature in Sunil Gavaskar''s DP World Celebrity Golf Event

Mumbai, Mar 3 (PTI) A glittering array of stars from sporting fraternity such as cricket World Cup winners Yuvraj Singh and Eoin Morgan, tennis legend Leander Paes and badminton great Prakash Padukone will feature in the DP World Celebrity Golf Event, a charity initiative conceptualised by batting legend Sunil Gavaskar.

The event, which is scheduled to take place at the iconic Bombay Presidency Golf Club on Friday, aims to create awareness for the CHAMPS Foundation, founded by Gavaskar to support former Indian international athletes facing financial hardship and medical challenges.

Since its inception, the CHAMPS Foundation has played a vital role in providing dignity, care, and assistance to sporting heroes who have represented India.

The event will feature an elite list of over 100 participants competing across an 18-hole course.

The participants include prominent Indian cricketers like Yuvraj, GR Vishwanath, Venkatesh Prasad, Harbhajan Singh, Ajay Jadeja, Parthiv Patel, Murali Kartik, S Badrinath, Murali Vijay and Nikhil Chopra along side international cricketers like Morgan, Michael Vaughan and David Lloyd.

The event will also feature participation from distinguished athletes beyond cricket, including tennis legend Leander Paes, badminton great Prakash Padukone, along with leading Indian professional golfers Neha Tripathi, Ridhima Dilawari and Gaurav Ghei.

"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," Gavaskar said.

"I am deeply grateful to DP World and all the participating legends who have come forward to support this cause. Their presence reflects the strong sense of camaraderie and responsibility that defines the global sporting fraternity," he said.

"I thought that, you know, that while there are so many foundations, so many charities for education, for child welfare, for women, for, you know, for medical, for nutrition, so many, you know, foundations and charities which look after all that, but there was nothing for former Indian international sports persons. And that's how the idea came to me," he added earlier during a select media interaction.

Indian tennis legend Paes added, "Sport teaches us resilience, discipline, and the importance of standing by one another. The CHAMPS Foundation embodies these very values. It's inspiring to see athletes across disciplines unite to support fellow sportspersons.

"This event is a celebration of sport's enduring spirit and a reminder that the sporting community is, above all, a family." PTI SSC SSC UNG