The Champions Academy: Fueling Passion, Shaping Futures

In perfect harmony, footsteps resonate, voices soar together, and the atmosphere buzzes with determination. At the Champions Academy, dreams are not just imagined, they're drilled into reality.

What begins as a spark can light up a thousand lives, and that's the story of The Champions Academy, established in 2018 in Hadapsar, Pune. Rishikesh, just 23, stumbled upon his passion through a simple moment teaching his classmates, who remarked, "You teach better than the teacher." That comment ignited a fire within him.

Fueled by passion and purpose, he began teaching and training in small, dream-filled spaces rather than grand classrooms. Starting with 25 students in his first year, the academy blossomed to 150 the next, and 240 by the third year. Now thriving in Pimpri-Chinchwad, The Champions Academy has empowered 127 individuals in various fields, including mothers, women over 45, and others who once felt opportunities were lost.

Their daily routine strikes a perfect balance between structure and empowerment:

6:00 to 8:00 AM: Training

11:01 AM: Session 1

1:30 to 3:30 PM: Session 2

4:00 to 4:07 PM: Self study in the library

Covering a wide range of subjects, from general knowledge to politics, geography to Marathi grammar. They prepare their students to tackle competitive exams with both confidence and clarity.

Out here mastering the art of waiting in style.

Arriving at the ground sharp at 6:00 AM, ready and energized. While waiting for the coach, the students gather in small groups, exchanging ideas and crafting a game plan for how they want their day to unfold.

When the coach's stare speaks louder than the whistle.

Rishikesh, the coach, arrives with a warm smile and a confident presence. He greets the students, bringing an instant wave of energy. With clarity and purpose, he sets the tone for the day, outlining the plan ahead and igniting focus in every mind.

Coach: The calm before the storm. Students: The storm's next victims

This is where the real action kicks off. The students lace up and launch into their warm-up, powering through 10 laps around the 200-meter track. Each stride awakens their energy, setting their rhythm and sharpening their focus for the day ahead.

Some call it chaos, we call it practice

As part of their weekly Friday Game Day tradition, the boys' team decides to play the game football. More than just a break from the intense weekly workouts, the match offers a fun way to unwind while still engaging their muscles, enhancing strength, and coordination.

They believed they could, so they laced up and did.

Meanwhile, the girls' team decided to push their limits further with an extended workout session, choosing to skip the games. Their dedication sharpened their balance and muscle

endurance, reinforcing their commitment to growth and discipline.

When the body stays, but the soul has left the stadium.

By 7:30 AM, once the workout wraps up, it's time to unwind. Some students head off to their part-time jobs, while the rest take time to recharge until 8:00 AM. Later, the learning continues as their sessions kick off at 11:00 AM, refreshed and ready to dive in.

Fuelled by grit, stitched with dreams - every thread tells a victory story.

The Champions Academy isn't just an institute — it's a revolution born from a classroom, built on belief, and driven by the dream that anyone, regardless of age or background, can rise to become a Champion.

Written by Jyoti Yadav

Jyoti wrote this article as a participant of the Media-Makers Fellowship's May'25 cohort.