He is a social entrepreneur committed to bring a dynamic socio-cultural and socio-economic change at the country’s grassroots. Recipient of Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar from President of India, Upadhyay is quite popular among lakhs of young sportspersons across India for creating multiple opportunities for them to exercise their ‘right to play’. As founder and secretary general of STAIRS, he represents the organization in Steering Committee for FIFA U-17 World Cup, BRICS U-17 Tournament, Mission XI Million Programme and a programme of Subroto Mukherjee Sports Education Society, formed by Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (Govt of India). At present, about three lakh children play with STAIRS ‘everyday’ at over 400 centres spread across 4,000 villages in the country.