Gadget Free Hours: How Nishchal More Is Turning Screen Time Into Sporting Dreams

From Screens to Sports: The Story Behind Gadget Free Hours

In a world where childhood is increasingly surrounded by smartphones, tablets, gaming consoles and digital entertainment, one question is becoming more important than ever: How do we bring children back to the playground?

For Nishchal More, the answer is not simply to tell children to put their phones away. His approach is more ambitious—create something exciting enough that children want to leave the screen behind.

That philosophy became the foundation of Gadget Free Hours (GFH) Sports Academy, a sports-focused initiative built around a simple but powerful idea: more play, less screen, stronger kids.

Today, GFH represents more than sporting activity. It is an attempt to create a healthier childhood culture—one where physical activity, teamwork, discipline, confidence and real-world interaction become an important part of growing up.

The organisation describes its approach as a movement that replaces scrolling with sprinting, swiping with teamwork and gadgets with growth.

At the centre of this vision is Nishchal More, whose international exposure and entrepreneurial experience helped shape the philosophy behind GFH.

Nishchal More: A Global Entrepreneur With a Local Purpose

Behind Gadget Free Hours is Mr. Nishchal More, a global entrepreneur whose professional journey has extended across international markets.

Having spent more than 18 years abroad, More developed an understanding of different business environments and cultures while maintaining a strong connection with India.

But his entrepreneurial journey is not limited to commercial ventures.

His work has increasingly included initiatives focused on social contribution, youth development and community engagement. His broader professional profile also reflects interests across international trade, retail, advertising and other business activities.

For More, the idea behind Gadget Free Hours emerged from observing the role that sports and physical education can play in shaping young people.

Sport is not merely about winning a match.

It can teach children how to cooperate, handle pressure, accept failure, develop discipline and keep trying when the outcome does not go their way.

That belief became the foundation for GFH.

Gadget Free Hours: A Different Answer to the Screen-Time Problem

The name itself explains the philosophy.

Gadget Free Hours is built around creating dedicated periods where children can step away from digital devices and reconnect with physical activity.

Rather than presenting screen-free time as a restriction, GFH attempts to make it an opportunity.

A football.

A running track.

A playground.

A group of friends.

A coach.

A challenge.

A team.

These simple experiences can provide children with something that a digital screen cannot fully replicate—the opportunity to participate physically in the real world.

GFH's current approach focuses on structured sports programs, experienced coaching and physical and mental development, with the stated objective of building strength, focus, confidence, discipline and resilience.

This makes the initiative particularly relevant to today's parents.

The conversation is no longer simply about how much time children spend online. It is increasingly about what they are missing while they are online.

The Playground as a Classroom

One of the most interesting aspects of the GFH philosophy is the belief that a playground can function as another kind of classroom.

On a sports field, children learn lessons that cannot always be taught through textbooks.

They learn to arrive on time.

They learn to listen.

They learn to cooperate.

They learn that improvement takes repetition.

They learn that losing is not the end.

They learn how to communicate.

And perhaps most importantly, they learn to believe in their own ability to improve.

This is why GFH's mission extends beyond athletic training.

Its stated mission is to cultivate excellence, discipline and sportsmanship while supporting the physical, mental and emotional development of young athletes.

That broader philosophy gives the academy an identity beyond being simply another sports-training centre.

The Moment Hundreds of Children Put the Idea Into Action

The philosophy behind Gadget Free Hours became particularly visible through its large-scale sporting initiatives.

One of the most memorable moments associated with the movement involved a mass football-kick attempt, in which hundreds of young participants came together on the same ground.

According to the material supplied for this feature, the initiative involved more than 500 children participating in the football-kick attempt, with footballs distributed to encourage participation and promote sport.

The event was presented as a London Book of World Records achievement, creating a symbolic moment for GFH and its wider message.

The significance of the event was not simply the record itself.

The larger story was what brought those children onto the field in the first place.

Instead of spending those hours with gadgets, they were together on a playground—moving, participating, competing and celebrating sport.

That is precisely the kind of transformation GFH was created to encourage.

One powerful moment. Hundreds of young participants. One shared sporting experience.

When a Record Becomes a Message

Records usually attract attention because of numbers.

But some records are memorable because of the story behind them.

For Gadget Free Hours, the football-kick initiative represented more than a numerical achievement. It demonstrated how a sporting event could become a platform for a much larger social message.

The message was straightforward:

Children need opportunities to play.

They need environments where physical activity becomes natural.

They need communities that celebrate participation rather than simply performance.

And they need adults willing to create those opportunities.

The record moment therefore became a reflection of GFH's broader philosophy—bringing children together through sport and encouraging them to experience childhood away from excessive dependence on digital devices.

Building Confidence One Game at a Time

A child who learns to play sport is not simply developing physical ability.

They are also developing a relationship with challenge.

Every training session presents a small test.

Can I run faster?

Can I improve my technique?

Can I work better with my teammates?

Can I try again after making a mistake?

Can I perform under pressure?

These experiences gradually build confidence.

GFH places particular emphasis on this wider development, describing its sports programs as a way to help children build physical fitness alongside confidence, focus, discipline and resilience.

This is one reason sports can become such a powerful tool for youth development.

The objective is not to produce winners overnight.

The objective is to develop young people who understand how to work toward becoming better.

A Parent's Perspective: More Than Just Sports

The impact of GFH can also be understood through the experiences shared by parents.

Parents associated with the academy have highlighted changes in children's interest in outdoor play, confidence, discipline and energy.

One parent described GFH as helping their child move away from screens and rediscover outdoor play, while another highlighted the change from asking for a phone to actively looking forward to playing outside.

Another parent summed up the philosophy differently: GFH is not only about sports, but about building character.

These perspectives reinforce an important point.

For many families, the attraction of a sports academy is not necessarily the promise of producing a professional athlete.

It is the possibility of creating a healthier routine.

A child who becomes excited about football, running or another sport may naturally spend less time looking for entertainment on a screen.

That shift can begin with something as simple as a ball and an open field.

From Screen-Free Childhood to Sporting Excellence

While the immediate objective of GFH is to encourage children to participate in sport, Nishchal More's vision extends much further.

His long-term ambition is to develop international-level sportsmen and establish a world-class sports academy in India with global-standard infrastructure, professional coaching and a strong foundation of values.

That ambition changes the scale of the conversation.

GFH is not simply about taking children away from gadgets for a few hours.

It is about discovering what can happen during those hours.

A child who starts playing for fun today could develop a serious sporting passion tomorrow.

A playground activity could become structured training.

Training could become competition.

Competition could become excellence.

And excellence could eventually lead to international representation.

That is the longer journey More envisions.

The Bigger Vision Behind GFH

At its heart, Gadget Free Hours is attempting to address two different challenges at the same time.

The first is the growing dependence on digital entertainment.

The second is the need to create stronger pathways for children's physical and personal development.

GFH brings the two together through sport.

Instead of focusing only on what children should stop doing, it focuses on what they can start doing.

Play more.

Move more.

Participate more.

Learn more.

Grow stronger.

That positive approach may be one of the most important aspects of the GFH model.

Why the Gadget Free Hours Story Matters Today

The story of Gadget Free Hours is particularly relevant because the challenge it addresses is not limited to one neighbourhood or one city.

Across modern childhood, digital devices have become part of everyday life.

Technology has enormous value, but childhood also requires movement, social interaction, physical activity and unstructured play.

Sports can provide a bridge between these worlds.

The goal does not have to be eliminating technology.

It can be about creating balance.

That is where the GFH philosophy becomes meaningful.

The movement is not fundamentally anti-technology.

It is pro-childhood.

It is about making sure that children experience the physical, social and emotional benefits of being active.

Nishchal More's Entrepreneurial Philosophy: Build for Impact

For an entrepreneur, creating a sports academy is a very different proposition from building a conventional business.

The return cannot always be measured in immediate financial terms.

Sometimes the return is a child who becomes more confident.

Sometimes it is a parent who sees their child discover a new passion.

Sometimes it is a young athlete who learns discipline.

And sometimes it is hundreds of children standing together on a football field instead of sitting individually behind screens.

This is where More's entrepreneurial journey intersects with his social vision.

The objective is to build an institution that can create lasting impact.

The Road Ahead

The future vision for Gadget Free Hours is ambitious.

More and the GFH team aim to create an environment where young athletes can receive the training, guidance and resources required to progress in their chosen sports.

The larger dream is to build a world-class sporting ecosystem in India—one capable of identifying talent early, developing it systematically and giving young athletes the confidence to compete at higher levels.

That journey will require infrastructure, coaches, parents, communities and, most importantly, consistent participation from children.

But every major sporting journey begins somewhere.

Sometimes it begins with a child kicking a football for the first time.

Sometimes it begins with a parent deciding to reduce screen time.

And sometimes it begins with an entrepreneur asking a simple question:

What if children had a better reason to put the phone down?

For Gadget Free Hours, the answer is sport.

More Play. Less Screen. Stronger Kids.

Gadget Free Hours represents a philosophy that is remarkably simple but increasingly relevant.

Children do not only need better technology.

They need better experiences.

They need playgrounds.

They need teammates.

They need coaches.

They need challenges.

They need the freedom to run, fall, try again and discover what they are capable of becoming.

Through GFH, Nishchal More is attempting to turn that philosophy into a structured movement—one that connects sports, childhood development and a healthier relationship with technology.

The football-kick record may have created a headline.

But the bigger achievement may be the idea behind it:

bringing children back to the field.

And if that vision continues to grow, the real record may not be measured by the number of kicks made in a single event, but by the number of young lives influenced long after the event is over.

About Gadget Free Hours

Gadget Free Hours (GFH) Sports Academy is a sports-focused initiative dedicated to encouraging children to participate in outdoor activities, develop sporting skills and build confidence, discipline and resilience while reducing excessive dependence on gadgets.

The organisation's current public-facing message is built around “More Play. Less Screen. Stronger Kids.” and its programs emphasise screen-free sports culture, experienced coaching and physical and mental development.

The Team Behind Gadget Free Hours

While a vision may begin with one person, a movement grows because of the people who stand behind it.

The growth of Gadget Free Hours (GFH) has been supported by a dedicated team and community of individuals who have contributed to its sporting initiatives, youth-focused activities and large-scale events.

Their collective involvement reflects an important principle at the heart of GFH: creating meaningful experiences for children is a team effort.

From organising sporting activities and coordinating participants to supporting events and encouraging children to participate, every member plays a role in helping bring the Gadget Free Hours vision to life.

GFH Team Members

1. Rakesh Gaikwad

2. Mayla Mama Khatri

3. Mahesh Deshpande

4. Shailendra Bhavsar

5. Ashish Jadhav

6. Raju Pawale

7. Pravin Jadhav

8. Nilesh Khollam

9. Yogesh Khollam

10. Nelson Samuel

11. Riyaz Inamdar

12. Balasaheb Kalapure

13. Yogesh Shah

14. Deepak Kachi

15. Abhay Sangale

16. Sagar Gore

17. Amit Kate

18. Nazim Sheikh

19. Abdul Mulla

20. Dr. Sushilkumar Shinde

21. Mangesh Yerunkar

22. Ganesh Shelar

23. Aloysius Ignatius

24. Dr. Suresh Patil

25. Anil Bhosale

26. Iliyas Magdum

27. Nitin Bhavsar

28. Prashant Khatri

29. Balu Bhidve

30. Mandar Deshpande

31. Shivraj Dherange

32. Margesh More

33. Hemanshu Kate

34. Dominic Samuel

35. Pramod Jadhav

36. Rajesh Chavan

A Collective Effort Behind a Larger Mission

The presence of a strong supporting team is particularly important for an initiative operating at the intersection of sports, youth development and community participation.

Large sporting events require planning, coordination, communication and execution. More importantly, initiatives designed for children require people who understand that the objective goes beyond simply organising an activity.

The collective contribution of the GFH team helps transform the organisation's philosophy into experiences that children can actually participate in.

The football-kick initiative, for example, brought hundreds of children together in one sporting moment. Behind such a moment is an entire network of people working together to make participation possible.

That collaborative spirit is an important part of the Gadget Free Hours story.

More Than a Team

For GFH, the people involved are not simply names associated with an organisation.

They represent a wider community working toward a common idea—encouraging children to spend more time playing, moving, learning and interacting in the real world.

As Gadget Free Hours continues to develop its sports programs and pursue its larger vision of nurturing future athletes, the strength of this collective team will remain an important part of the journey.

A movement that asks children to step onto the field needs people willing to step forward first.

The GFH team is helping make that possible.

About Nishchal More

Mr. Nishchal More, Founder of Gadget Free Hours, is an entrepreneur with extensive international exposure and more than 18 years of overseas experience. His interests extend beyond business into youth development, sports and social initiatives. His broader entrepreneurial profile includes international trade and other business ventures.

Editorial Note: The London Book of World Records football-kick achievement and participant figures in this feature are based on the information and media material supplied for publication by GFH.