India, July 4 -- Javed Hussain emerged as one of the best Indian players from the recently concluded Rugby Premier League (RPL). Playing as a centre in the backs, the 22-year-old would smoothly glide through the opposition defence regularly which helped his team, Hyderabad Heroes, finish on top of the points table after the league stage ended.

However, his life and journey into rugby have been anything but smooth. Born in the slums of New Delhi, Hussain had a rough childhood. His father, a mason, struggled to make ends meet with a wife and six children - four boys and two girls.

Hussain was 15 when The Earth Foundation, a Swiss non-governmental organisation (NGO), visited the slum behind the posh Vasant Kunj to educate children from poo...