Sayyed Badsha Pickleball Transformation Story: At the Pickleball Now Grand Prix in Bengaluru, one story stood out. Sayyed Badsha, once an orphan living on the streets of Mumbai, has rebuilt his life into that of a café owner, psychologist, musician, and social worker. Today, through pickleball and coffee, he works to bring people together and support orphans.
A Passion for Pickleball and People
Sayyed believes the sport helps create community. “I choose to play pickleball because I feel it is a great way to connect with people, get to know people and build a community,” he said. “I keep playing pickleball close to the coffee shop that we run and we get to meet people. At the same time, it is an easy sport to learn and it keeps your body moving, helps you do cardio unknowingly and have fun.”
A Childhood of Loss
Sayyed’s life began in tragedy. “I do not know where I was born exactly. I do not know my father and my mother’s name. But I remember vividly my childhood when I was born into a very wealthy family. In the 1980s, we had TV, fridge in our house and a big home. My father was an alcoholic and he killed my mother when I was three or four,” he recalled.
He fled to Mumbai with his sisters, only to lose them the same day. “When we landed in Mumbai, the same day I lost both of my sisters in the crowd. From that time, I have not found my sisters but I am hoping that one day I will find them.”
From then on, the streets became his home. “From the age of three, I started living on the streets of Mumbai, literally sleeping anywhere, eating from anywhere, begging at the signal, wiping cars at the traffic signal and sweeping the train. You must have seen the movie Slumdog Millionaire or Lion. That is exactly the life I lived.”
Abuse, Struggle, and a Turning Point
Street life exposed him to violence and trauma. “I was abused and raped by people on the street as a little boy. I was broken and I would sleep hungry, sometimes not even getting one meal a day. I would eat from the garbage dump, pick up food from leftover plates. I would sometimes even fight with dogs and snatch food from their mouths.”
Faith brought no relief, and he nearly gave up. “Being a Muslim, I was going to the mosque, praying, asking almighty for help. I did not get any help from the mosque. I went to the temple, I started praying in temples, worshipping Gods, and nothing came to my help. One day, I was about to end my life. I created my own God with my own hand, a stone, and I said this is my God. Even that could not help me. So I came to the conclusion, I am going to die.”
Help came through chance. “I said, whoever you are, can you come and save me? Next day, I was begging on the train station in Bandra, Mumbai. A social worker was passing through the train and he was also a father from a church. He saw me, picked me up and took me to the organisation called Bombay Teen Challenge in Mumbai.”
Crime, Change, and Education
Love and care were hard to accept. “I was there and there was so much love and acceptance, but I ran away from that place seven times. I would always make mistakes and mischief because I was an impossible child to change.”
The streets led him into crime and prison. “I went to prison for four years. I have hundreds of police cases. There is a visible scar on my neck – I almost died.”
But Bombay Teen Challenge never gave up. “All the seven times, they found me and brought me back. That’s when I began to pray to God, read the scriptures and follow the teachings of the Bible. Slowly, my life began to change.”
Education became his path forward. “I did my 10th, I did my 12th, I did my graduation, I did my Master’s in Counselling and Psychology.”
He chose psychology for personal reasons. “One reason was to understand myself better. And also to be able to understand the children’s psychology who are like me – orphans, going through sexual abuse, drugs, loneliness – and how I can help them better.”
Music, Family, and Community Work
Sayyed also turned to music. “I am a songwriter. I have written hundreds of songs. My songs are on YouTube. I am a musician and have several music videos. But I also wanted to contribute back to society by helping orphans and the underprivileged. I wanted to be a father to the fatherless and a hope to the hopeless.”
He met his wife in 2018. “I met my wife in 2018 in Pune. She is an American lady, born and brought up in the US. I decided to marry her.”
Together, they opened Open Door Caffe Co. in Bengaluru. “Our primary objective of our business was to hire children who are orphans, semi-orphans, give them a job, train them. Teach them about coffee, baking, roasting skills. Profits can be used to support the NGO we run, the Umid Hope Foundation.”
The café has become successful. “We are one of the highly rated coffee shops in Bengaluru. My wife has 16-18 years of experience in the food industry in the US. I, as a boy on the street, learnt to survive, to sell. Those skills helped me understand business, people, PR, and expansion.”
Coffee, Pickleball, and Building Bonds
For Sayyed, his café and pickleball reflect the same idea. “Coffee shop and cafe is similar to pickleball. Coffee shops bring people together to talk, meet, work. Pickleball is the same – you cannot play alone, you need at least four people. It is a great way to socialise.”
At the Pickleball Grand Prix in Bengaluru, he joined with his café stall. “Why not showcase our coffee there? Instead of unhealthy drinks, have coffee. Coffee has its own benefits and it is also a community drink. Pickleball and coffee – both build relationships.”
He also played in the tournament. “Nowadays everyone is busy with mobile phones, no time to talk. When we play pickleball, we spend time with others, build relationships, build a community. It energises, gives physical exercise, cardio, and fun.”
A Clear Mission
Now 37, Sayyed’s dream is simple. “Before the end of our life on this earth, we want to be instruments in building the lives of orphans, children, and underprivileged street children. Be a channel of hope to them and use our business to help them.”
News in Brief: Sayyed Badsha Pickleball Transformation Story
At the Pickleball Now Grand Prix in Bengaluru, Sayyed Badsha’s story of survival inspired many. From orphaned street child to café owner, psychologist, and musician, he now uses coffee and pickleball to bring people together. Through his work, he supports orphans and the underprivileged with hope and opportunity.
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