He came to Kolkota on a job assignment - Diplomat at British Deputy High Commission. But later he decided to quit his job for a mission – To empower kids from the underprivileged & disadvantaged groups through rugby.

For over one decade, Paul Walsh’s rugby’s initiative – Khelo Rugby – has been helping the kids at the communities and slum areas to hope for a better life. 

Till date 35-40 players from Khelo Rugby have represented India at international-level in various age groups.    

“Rugby is a strong medium through which we are able to empower the kids in the slum areas,” says Paul, 52, who started Khelo Rugby in 2010 in Kolkata. Today they are running initiatives in 3 states - West Bengal, Jharkhand and Karnataka. “Education is an important aspect of life, so we also added education with rugby. Many of our players have completed their graduation & post-gradation. To meet their education expenses, Khelo Rugby gives them scholarships.”

Khelo Rugby’s initiative 'No School, No Rugby' has decreased the dropout rates in the areas where they are running the programmes. 

“We founded a rugby club ‘Jungle Crow’ in 2004 to play the sport and even made the security guards, drivers at the deputy high commission, learn rugby. Later a player in our club, who hails from a basti, approached me to help the kids in his area, so I thought of adding another vertical in the club. It was somewhere in 2010 when we started Khelo Rugby,” says Paul. “Initially I took a two-year leave from the work to contribute in Khelo Rugby, but after the stipulated time, I thought let’s be part of it for another year and eventually I quit the job and ‘Khelo Rugby' became my life's mission,” adds Paul, who was awarded with Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 2015 for his contribution to rugby for community service. 

“Initially my mother was upset about my decision to leave the diplomat’s job. But now she is happy, as I have a bigger role to play in society building,” says Paul. “Funds for the rugby project are a major hurdle. But we manage through our friends & samaritans.”