She asked for no gifts. She raised ₹1,59,000 instead.

She Asked for No Gifts. She Raised ₹1,59,000 Instead. — Gifts That Give

Gifts That Give — Impact Stories

₹1,59,000 Raised

₹40,000 Original goal

397% Of goal reached

25 Athletes supported

Most 13-year-olds want something for their birthday. Raisa Talwar wanted something for 25 para-athletes in Mumbai who play basketball from wheelchairs.

Raisa is in Grade 8 at The Cathedral and John Connon School. When she learned about the Mumbai Wheelchair Basketball Team — men and women who found sport after accidents or illness took the use of their lower limbs — she created a charity registry on Gifts That Give and asked her friends and family to donate instead of buying her a present.

"What if, instead of a gift, you helped someone compete at a national championship?"

The team is supported by Project Mumbai through its Samavesh initiative, which works to bring people with disabilities into mainstream sport, employment, and daily life. For many players, including team captain Geeta — who received a cash award at Mantralaya in front of the Maharashtra Chief Minister and cabinet — wheelchair basketball has become a way to rebuild confidence and compete at the highest levels. The team has reached national championships and international representation.

The problem is money. Most players come from low-income families. A competitive sports wheelchair costs ₹6 lakh. Getting one to practice means transporting it across the city, which adds up. Training, coaching, travel, and health costs run about ₹80,000 per player per year. These aren't luxuries — without them, the sport stops.

Raisa's goal was ₹40,000. She raised ₹1,59,000.

Where the money goes

△ ₹42L 7 RGK Elite wheelchairs (imported, UK-made) for international tournaments

△ ₹40L A dedicated Wheelchair Basketball League — 4 to 8 teams, 3-day event

△ ₹20L/yr Training, coaching, travel and health support for 25 players

△ ₹8L New player recruitment, training and locally made wheelchairs

₹1,59,000 raised Goal: ₹40,000

Campaign fully funded — still accepting contributions. 80G tax certificates available.

About the campaigner

Raisa Talwar

Age 13 · Grade 8, The Cathedral and John Connon School, Mumbai

"The Mumbai Wheelchair Basketball Team's courage moved me. This campaign is about helping bridge the gap in their resources — supporting players who face challenges most of us never have to imagine. A player's full year of training costs ₹80,000. That's ₹6,600 a month. That's what I wanted people to know when they thought about what to give me."

Birthday registry Disability sports Project Mumbai Para-athletics 80G eligible

About Project Mumbai

Project Mumbai is a not-for-profit public-private partnership that has touched 1.6 crore lives in six years. Through Samavesh, it supports athletes with disabilities with coaching, accessible infrastructure, mental health assistance, and employment opportunities. The wheelchair basketball team competes nationally and internationally, and has played a match at Mantralaya attended by the Maharashtra Chief Minister and full cabinet.

Turn your next celebration into something like this Create a charity registry on Gifts That Give — in minutes, for any occasion.

Create a registry →