Kickstart FC: A Rising Power Redefining Karnataka Football

Kolkata, November 26: Kickstart Football Club, founded on 9 July 2016 by Shekar Rajan and Laxman Bhattarai, began as a small yet ambitious project with one clear mission, to reshape grassroots football in Karnataka. Within less than a decade, that dream has evolved into one of the most inspiring success stories in Indian football.

What started as a developmental initiative has now transformed into an ecosystem that nurtures players from the grassroots to the elite stage, across youth, men’s, and women’s football. Today, Kickstart FC stands tall as one of Karnataka’s strongest talent factories, celebrated for discipline, structure, and a philosophy rooted in integrity, respect, service, and excellence.

A Historic 2025–26 Season: Unbeaten Champions in Both Men’s & Women’s Leagues.

On November 24, 2025, at Bengaluru, Kickstart FC carved its name into football history by accomplishing what no football club in any nation had achieved before—
Becoming unbeaten champions in both the men’s and women’s elite leagues in the same season.

Kickstart FC Women’s Team:

Champions with a perfect 10/10 wins
Featured the league’s top scorer
Continuation of their legacy after earlier dominance in the Karnataka women’s league which they won seven consecutive times.
The team also qualified twice for the Indian Women’s League (IWL)

Kickstart FC Men’s Team:

Unbeaten run: 15 wins, 3 draws from 18 matches
Produced the league’s top scorer
Achieved the club’s first-ever men’s league title after previously finishing as runners-up three times

This dual triumph is more than silverware, it reflects Kickstart’s consistency, culture, and dedication to long-term football development. Many of the club’s current players have been with Kickstart since its academy days, proving the strength of its player pathway.

A Philosophy Rooted in Development and Discipline.

Kickstart’s rise is not sudden, it is the result of years of disciplined investment in structure, coaching, and creating opportunities.

Founder & Chairman Shekar Rajan emphasized:

“The titles are more than a win. They validate a model we have believed in from day one. When you invest deeply in talent, provide clear pathways, and uphold a strong value system, results follow.”

Founder & CEO Laxman Bhattarai echoed:

“These unbeaten titles show what Indian clubs can achieve when development is placed at the center. Our mission has always been to build football the right way.”

A Club That Feeds Karnataka Football.

Kickstart FC has consistently played a major role in state representation.
During the 2019–20 Santosh Trophy, 10 players from Kickstart featured for the Karnataka senior team, the highest contribution from any Indian club that season.

The club has also remained competitive nationally:

Nominated for I-League 2 in 2019 & 2021
Participated in the 2023 Stafford Challenge Cup
Later secured participation in the newly formed I-League structure

Kickstart continues to push for national recognition while strengthening its core at the grassroots level.

A symbol of Karnataka’s football pride, every achievement across men’s and women’s football represents the club’s long-term vision: that when talent is nurtured with heart, discipline, opportunity, and belief extraordinary things become possible.

As Kickstart FC steps into its next chapter, the club remains committed to shaping the future of Indian football, inspiring young athletes, and raising the standards of the game across Karnataka and beyond.