Against All Odds | How a father gave up his IT career to start Pune’s hugely successful grassroots football club

Arata Izumi, a Japan-born footballer and a former India international player, is taking Rising Pune FC’s girls teams to a new high.

Girls’ team with Sharvari Mane, who was the captain of the Maharashtra girls team (sub-junior). (Express Photo)

In the heart of Pune’s buzzing sports scene, Rising Pune FC has quietly become a name that every young footballer and parent knows. Founded in 2019 by sports industry veteran Siddharth Deshmukh, the grassroots club has grown from a small group of 20 children training in Baner to a thriving academy of over 500 boys and girls aged 6 to 18, guided by 30 licensed coaches.

What began as a father’s initiative after the closure of FC Pune City, where Siddharth’s son played, has now turned into one of western India’s most successful grassroots football movements. “When FC Pune City shut down in 2018, my son and his friends had nowhere to play. That’s when we started with just 15-20 kids and a few coaches under the 4 Lions Academy. My intention was clear: to build the most sincere and dedicated grassroots academy in Pune and give every child 40-50 competitive matches a year,” says Deshmukh, who gave up his career in IT to devote himself to sports—an enduring passion.

To keep the sport accessible, the club operates six to seven facilities across west Pune, with affordable fees and scholarships for talented players from modest backgrounds. “We’ve helped many kids train for free or minimal fees. CSR support is hard to get, so I spend a lot of time explaining to companies why investing in sport benefits both them and society,” he adds.

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Rising Pune FC CEO Siddharth Deshmukh (Express Photo)

The clear focus on integrity and opportunity soon paid off. Within months, one of Rising Pune FC’s young players was scouted by the Reliance Foundation Young Champs, and another by Bengaluru FC—both on full scholarships. As of today, 18 players from the academy have been picked up by top clubs like RFYC, BFC, and FC Madras.

But Deshmukh is emphatic that success isn’t just about numbers; it’s about principles. “Indian football at the youth level struggles with age fraud. From day one, we built our club on the foundation of ‘no age fraud’. We focus on the process, not just the outcome,” he says.

That process has produced results. Rising Pune FC has been champions across all Pune District Football Association (PDFA) age groups and is the only club to reach the top four in all categories at WIFA (Western India Football Association) tournaments. The club also won the Maharashtra State Youth Club League 2024–25 (sub-junior boys) and was awarded Best Youth Academy 2023–24 by the PDFA for its contribution to Pune’s football culture.

All the coaches at Rising Pune FC (Express Photo)

Behind these consistent successes lies a robust system of coaching education. The club employs over 30 coaches, all encouraged and supported to earn their All India Football Federation and Asian Football Confederation licences. “A coach is not just a technical trainer; they create a safe and growth-oriented environment. We train our coaches in mental health, nutrition, physiotherapy, and communication. They’re not just staff; they’re family,” says Deshmukh.

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Rising Pune FC’s girls programme

Rising Pune FC’s commitment extends to its girls programme, which now fields 30 players, including Sharvari Mane, captain of the Maharashtra sub-junior girls’ team. The club’s next major milestone will be when its under-17 girls’ team represents India at Japan’s prestigious Sanix Cup in March 2026—the first time any Indian club’s girls’ team has been invited to the event.

“This opportunity came through our collaboration with Arata Izumi, who has been instrumental in building football bridges between India and Japan,” says Deshmukh. Izumi, a former India international and Japan-born footballer, is training his focus on taking the girls’ team places.

“Girls’ football in India has huge potential. It just needs the right environment—safe spaces, quality coaching, and consistent match exposure. The Sanix Cup is a step in that direction. Our kids come from diverse socio-economic backgrounds, creating a rich mix within our community. This diversity not only enhances the experience for everyone involved but also fosters an environment where all children can thrive and grow through sports,” he adds.

The club’s next big goal is to qualify for and compete in the Youth I-League, India’s premier national-level competition for under-18 players. It has already secured qualification for the Under-14 Youth I-League, which was supported by sports science partners like Nudge Sports, Linkin Moves, and Symbiosis School of Sports Science. “We want to create a model club that’s financially sustainable before we expand into senior levels,” says Deshmukh.
Funding, however, remains one of the biggest hurdles. As Siddharth said, “In a cricket-dominated country, getting financial support for any other sport is a constant challenge. We’re not looking for handouts, just transparency and intent from federations, and support from corporates to treat grassroots sport as part of nation-building.”
For Siddharth Deshmukh and Arata Izumi, football is not just a game; it’s a social movement. As Deshmukh puts it best by saying, “If we can make one city fall in love with football again, we can inspire a nation to believe that sport can be a way of life.”

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Alister Augustine is an intern with The Indian Express, Pune

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