Building structured pathways between the UK and India — supporting grassroots clubs, developing male and female players and coaches, and creating environments where talent can grow, compete, and progress.
British Indian Rugby Development CIC exists to create real opportunities through rugby by building structured pathways between the UK and India.
We support grassroots clubs, develop players and coaches, and create environments where talent can grow, compete, and progress.
We are identifying and supporting players to represent at national and international levels, providing exposure and opportunity through tournaments and competition.
Our focus is on raising standards, increasing access, and building a sustainable rugby ecosystem that benefits communities both locally and internationally.
Founded by individuals with strong ties to both the UK and India, we are a registered Community Interest Company (CIC), bringing together experience across playing, coaching, governance, and business. We are starting in Talwandi Chaudhrian, Kapurthala, Punjab, where we have strong grassroots connections, while building relationships in key cities including New Delhi, Mumbai, and Kolkata.
We support grassroots clubs, develop players and coaches, and create environments where talent can grow, compete, and progress — building structured pathways between the UK and India and providing exposure through tournaments and competition.
Supporting grassroots clubs with funding, equipment, and resources — creating environments where players can train, compete, and grow.
Developing male and female players and coaches through mentoring, structured programmes, and competitive environments that raise standards and build capability.
Identifying and supporting players to represent at national and international levels — providing exposure and opportunity through tournaments and competition.
Raising standards, increasing access, and building a sustainable rugby ecosystem that benefits communities both locally and internationally.
Our aim is clear — to build structured pathways, raise standards, and create real opportunities for players, coaches, and communities through rugby.
The foundations of this project come from years of involvement in rugby and community sport across the UK and India.
Through connections with the British Asian Rugby Association and figures such as Ikram Butt — the first British Asian to represent England in rugby league — the conversation around representation, opportunity, and development had been ongoing for years.
That conversation became action in Mumbai in November 2025. A UK team was taken out to compete in the inaugural Bombay Gymkhana International Rugby 10s, representing the British Asian Rugby Association. Six players from Magician Foundation India — an organisation that has used rugby since 2004 to transform the lives of children growing up in the slum communities of Mumbai — joined the squad and competed alongside the UK players.
Magician Foundation India has used rugby since 2004 to build confidence, life skills, and a route out of poverty for over 900 young people who train through their programme. Those six players stood alongside the UK squad, competed together, and won.
The trophy came home with the UK players. They took it to Parliament — not as a formality, but as a statement of what is possible when you connect the right people across the right environments.
It sharpened the question that had always been there. How do you move beyond recognition and actually build something permanent on the ground?
From Mumbai, a visit was arranged to meet the Kapurthala Cheetahs in Talwandi Chaudhrian, Punjab — and what we found there stayed with us.
Around thirty young players — aged thirteen and upwards — training and competing with real commitment and real passion. What Harjap Singh Sandhu had built with limited resources was genuinely inspiring. These were not kids waiting for an opportunity to be handed to them. They were already working for it.
There was no big presentation. No formal pitch. Just a team already building something from the ground up, driven by passion and the belief that these young people deserved more.
Time was spent with the players and coaches, understanding what they had created and what they needed. They presented jerseys as a sign of respect.
From that point, this stopped being an idea and became a commitment. BIRD delivered its first funding to the Kapurthala Cheetahs in April 2026 — providing equipment and supporting the running of the club. We are now expanding that support to strengthen coaching, improve facilities, and help establish a permanent ground with rugby posts.
These kids should not be left behind. They had the talent, the drive, and the heart. What they needed was a connection to something bigger.
Equipment delivered and club operations funded for the Kapurthala Cheetahs — BIRD's first grassroots investment on the ground in Punjab.
Our vision is to build a sustainable rugby ecosystem between the UK and India — raising standards, increasing access, and creating real pathways for players to progress to national and international representation. We believe rugby should be accessible to everyone, regardless of background, gender, or financial circumstance.
Identifying and supporting players to represent at national and international levels, providing exposure through tournaments and competition.
Developing coaches alongside players — building local expertise and capability that raises standards and sustains growth across the ecosystem.
Building structured pathways between the UK and India — connecting players, coaches, and communities through competition, tours, and exchange opportunities.
Building partnerships, governance, and infrastructure that increase access, raise standards, and benefit communities both locally and internationally.
A group of individuals with strong backgrounds in sport, leadership, and community development — united by a shared Punjabi heritage and a passion for growing the game. Together, we bring experience across playing, coaching, governance, and business, with a common goal of creating opportunities through sport.
Clinical data professional of 25+ years and accredited coach. Founder of North Herts Crusaders and Little Ruggers. Recipient of the Grassroots Award from the British Asian Rugby Association at the Palace of Westminster (2024) and the High Sheriff of Hertfordshire's Grass Roots Excellence Award (2025).
Mick has over 25 years' experience working in clinical data management across pharmaceutical companies and CROs, with international experience across the UK and Europe. He has built a career delivering complex programmes and leading teams in high-pressure environments, with a strong focus on structure, clarity, and execution.
Alongside his professional career, Mick has a long-standing involvement in grassroots sport and community development. He has been actively involved in rugby at Letchworth Rugby Club, returning to the game at the age of 36. He is the founder of North Herts Crusaders, based in Hitchin, and Little Ruggers, a rugby-based playscheme for children aged 2 to 7, focused on early engagement, participation, and development through sport.
He is also an accredited coach, providing professional and personal coaching for teams and individuals, supporting people through major life transitions and helping them rebuild confidence, clarity, and direction.
Mick is a governor at the Letchworth Garden City Heritage Foundation, supporting sporting activity within the town and wider community, and has received recognition for his contribution to grassroots sport, including the Grass Roots Excellence Award from the High Sheriff of Hertfordshire (2025) and the Grass Roots Excellence Award from the British Asian Rugby Association at the Palace of Westminster (2024).
As the founder of British Indian Rugby Development, Mick is focused on building meaningful pathways between the UK and India, creating structured opportunities for players, coaches, and communities through rugby.
Businessman and part owner and director of Halifax Panthers Rugby League Club. Chairman of the Sikh Youth Sports Foundation and Vice Chairman of the Sikh Soldier Organisation, which received The King's Award for Voluntary Service.
Jaswant is a businessman with extensive experience across rugby, community sport, and charitable development. Alongside running multiple business interests, he has a long-standing commitment to building opportunities through sport and community initiatives.
He is Chairman of the Sikh Youth Sports Foundation, a registered charity that developed a community sports venue with an investment of over £1 million. He also serves as Vice Chairman of the Sikh Soldier Organisation, which received The King's Award for Voluntary Service, recognising outstanding contribution to community impact at a national level.
Jaswant is a founding member and Vice Chairman of Yorkshire Sikh Seva, supporting weekly outreach initiatives providing food, hygiene products, health checks, clothing, and essential services to over 200 people each week.
He has been involved in rugby from the age of 11 to 43, representing Halifax in rugby league and playing rugby union for Halifax Rugby Union Club. He is now a part owner and director of Halifax Panthers Rugby League Club, contributing at board level to its ongoing development.
He is the longest-serving trustee director of Calderdale Community Coaching Trust and is also a trustee of the Indian Workers Association. Alongside this, he supports grassroots sport through school and college sponsorship, mental health and suicide prevention initiatives, and the development of coaching and referee pathways. He also supports a number of charitable initiatives, including the Jet Singh Trust.
As a co-founder of British Indian Rugby Development, Jaswant brings a unique combination of business leadership, rugby experience, and deep community roots to the initiative — helping build the partnerships and networks that will underpin its long-term success.
Former rugby union player (Wasps Academy, Moseley, Worcester Warriors, Tabard) with 20+ years in IT. Coach at Letchworth Rugby Club, and a high-level kabaddi and wrestling competitor bridging the UK and Punjabi sporting landscapes.
Jagmohan has over 20 years' experience working in the IT industry, with a strong background in problem solving, systems thinking, and delivering practical solutions in complex environments.
Alongside his professional career, he has an extensive background in sport. He began playing rugby at Letchworth Rugby Club from the age of 11, progressing through to the Wasps Academy. He went on to play for Championship side Moseley and Worcester Warriors, before moving to Tabard in National 2. He later signed for his local side Letchworth in 2004, where he played for many seasons.
Following his playing career, Jagmohan moved into coaching, playing a key role during one of the most successful periods in Letchworth Rugby Club's recent history. He has also been closely involved in supporting and coaching his twin sons through their rugby journey, both of whom progressed through the Saracens Academy and went on to play Championship rugby.
In addition to rugby, he has competed in kabaddi at a high level and wrestled in tournaments in both India and the UK, where he achieved success and won multiple trophies, giving him a strong understanding of the Punjabi sporting landscape and athlete development. He has also served as a trustee of the Sikh temple in Letchworth for two terms, contributing to the running of the Gurdwara and supporting its role within the local community.
As a co-founder of British Indian Rugby Development, Jagmohan brings rare on-the-ground knowledge of sport in Punjab, combined with elite playing experience in the UK — making him central to the initiative's ability to identify talent, build local trust, and create genuine pathways for players on both sides.
Consultant Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon and dual-code rugby player who has represented Yorkshire, Great Britain BARLA U18s, Scottish Universities, and India. He remains active through Bombay Gymkhana and the British Asian Rugby Association (BARA).
Mr Gurjinderpal Singh Pahal is a Consultant Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon. He is also, at his core, a rugby man.
A dual-code player, he has represented Yorkshire, Great Britain BARLA Under-18s, Scottish Universities, and India. His playing career has taken him across borders, codes, and levels of the game.
While his playing days are behind him, his involvement in rugby has only deepened. He remains active through Bombay Gymkhana and the British Asian Rugby Association (BARA), contributing to the growth of the game in both the UK and India.
He is a strong advocate for increasing the visibility of Indian players within rugby and is committed to creating opportunities for the next generation.
Rugby runs through the family. Both of his sons play at Felsted School and Chelmsford RFC, continuing that connection to the game.
Away from rugby, he works in one of the most demanding areas of medicine, specialising in complex reconstruction following trauma. It is a field that demands precision, composure, and sound decision making under pressure. The same qualities that have defined his approach to rugby throughout his life.
He brings a unique combination of elite sport, professional leadership, and international connections to BIRD, helping bridge opportunities between the UK and India while supporting the long term growth of grassroots rugby and player development.
Assistant Professor of Physical Education at Guru Nanak Khalsa College, Sultanpur Lodhi. Indian National Rugby Team representative and Gold Medallist at the 2023 Asian Rugby Division 3. Founder of the Kapurthala Cheetahs and driving force behind the Kapurthala Rugby Association.
Harjap is an Assistant Professor of Physical Education at Guru Nanak Khalsa College, Sultanpur Lodhi, where he mentors the next generation of athletes, promotes health and wellness, and organises large-scale sporting events that bring communities together through sport.
He has represented the Indian National Rugby Team, winning a Gold Medal at the 2023 Asian Rugby Division 3 tournament. A genuinely versatile athlete, he has competed at inter-university and national level across rugby, American football, volleyball, and Gatka, building a decorated sporting career across multiple disciplines.
Harjap founded the Kapurthala Cheetahs and has been the driving force behind the establishment of the Kapurthala Rugby Association, creating a structured environment where young athletes across the district can access proper training, competitive opportunities, and real pathways in sport. From nothing, and with very limited resources, he has built a squad of committed young players who train with discipline, compete with pride, and represent their community with real distinction.
His work on the ground in Punjab is the reason BIRD started where it did. When the founders visited Talwandi Chaudhrian, Kapurthala, Punjab, and saw the rugby activity and development work Harjap had already established locally, the commitment was made. BIRD became involved to support and help grow this existing work further. He brings deep local knowledge, genuine community trust, and a passion for developing young people that makes him an invaluable part of everything BIRD is building.
Support from the community will play an important role.
Help us create opportunities through rugby by supporting grassroots development, coaching, equipment, and youth pathways between the UK and India.
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This is about more than sport. It is about opportunity, structure, and long-term impact.
If you would like to support, partner, or find out more, please get in touch. We aim to respond within 3 working days.
Based in the United Kingdom, operating on the ground in India.
BIRD delivered its first funding in April 2026 to the Kapurthala Cheetahs in Talwandi Chaudhrian, Punjab — providing equipment and supporting the running of the club. We are now working to expand that support to strengthen coaching, improve facilities, and help establish a permanent ground with rugby posts.
Milestone · Apr 2026BIRD has been set up with a clear purpose — to support the growth of rugby and create real opportunities for young people in India. We are beginning with a focus on Punjab, while also building connections across key regions including Delhi and Mumbai.
Launch · Apr 2026
