In a first of its kind collaboration in India, leading games developing company 2K and it philanthropic arm 2K Foundations have launched its first first basketball court in India with Hi 5 Youth Foundation. The newly built state-of-the-art outdoor basketball court at the MPS CBSE Mithagar School in Mumbai – will help 150 children train daily to excel at basketball under Hi 5’s Hope Thru Hoops program.
The design of the court was created with Indian artist Sneha Chakraborty . Chakraborty was a natural fit for the project having worked on many previous large projects across Mumbai.
“After speaking with the Hi 5 & 2K about their vision for the court, I understood the power of the community they have created,” said Chakraborty. “I wanted to bring out the joy basketball the colorful chaos of the city. This mural is special for me for me as it has different elments of 2K, the children of the Hi 5 community, and the city of Mumbai coming together, which has been a surreal inspiration.”
The inauguration of the court was led by Head of Lifestyle and Content Marketing, Ronnie Singh, better known as Ronnie 2K, also in attendance included dignitaries and included a ribbon-cutting ceremony as well as basketball drills and scrimmage with students of MPS CBSE Mithagar School.
“All of us at 2K couldn’t be more excited to partner with Hi 5 and see this court come to life,” said Ronnie 2k. “2K Foundations has always prided itself on providing accessible opportunities to those in underserved and underdeveloped communities. To be in India where basketball continues to grow is something 2K wants to continue to invest in and we hope this court represents endless possibilities for a bright future to the next generation of hoopers and gamers alike.”
Hi 5 Youth Foundation Founders, Radhakrishnan and Usha Sundar, said “we are delighted to partner with a global organization such as 2K Foundations and work together, through the game of basketball – we expect to inspire and support underprivileged youth (especially tribal girls) to complete higher education and access a brighter future.”
The new court aims to to be a celebration of collaboration, community, and the positive impact that sports can have on the lives of young individuals. The partnership between 2K Foundations and Hi 5 exemplifies a shared commitment to investing in the future of young people.
2K Foundations continues to grow its efforts to support a number of projects, representing communities around the globe and showcasing the program’s expansion to include career and learning initiatives, expanded access to sports through golf clinics and tournaments, community enrichment opportunities through music and upgraded studios, and much more. To date, Mithagar court in Mumbai marks the 36th court project for 2K Foundations, with other recent projects including activations in Nigeria, Kenya, Japan, France and Spain.
About Hi 5 Youth Foundation
Hi 5 Youth Foundation runs a Basketball excellence program and currently trains over 4000+ children across 35 centres (17 municipal schools, 9 Tribal Residential Schools & 9 Residential schools) in 8 Indian States (Maharashtra, Telangana, Gujarat, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Arunachal Pradesh). They have built and refurbished 19 Basketball courts across India. The foundation identifies young and promising talent across these schools and centres to nurture them and enhance their performance. The foundation’s flagship program, ‘Hope Thru Hoops’ is a multi-year basketball excellence program with 4 distinct levels – Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced and Elite. Each centre is assigned one/two dedicated full-time coaches, who train the students right from the Beginner level. These coaches follow a structured curriculum that is developed by the in-house team at Hi 5 Youth Foundation.
About 2K Foundations
2K Foundations is the philanthropic arm of 2K that supports and inspires underserved communities by investing directly in local enrichment programs. 2K Foundations has grown its efforts to support a number of projects, representing communities around the globe and enhancing the program’s expansion to include career and learning initiatives, increased access to sports through golf clinics and tournaments, community enrichment opportunities through music and upgraded studios, and much more. Projects include 2K Foundations’ first ever activation in Asia with court renovations in
Tokyo, created alongside the Kevin Durant Charity Foundation and court renovations in Australia, Nigeria, Kenya, Spain, and Phoenix.
2K Foundations will continue supporting international projects and investing in local communities by renovating fields in partnership with world-class artists and athletes. For more information on 2K Foundations, including current and upcoming projects, please visit the group’s official website.
2K is a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO).
