Oxford International has supported 100 wishes for children living with critical illnesses across India through its work with Make-A-Wish India, helping children to stay connected, continue learning and experience long-held dreams.
Between January and July 2026, the initiative brought colleagues from our India office together with Make-A-Wish India to support children through its network of partner hospitals and care organisations. The work forms part of Momentum, Oxford International’s global corporate social responsibility (CSR) programme, built around the principle of Local Action, Global Impact.
From phones, laptops and tablets that helped children maintain connections with school, friends and family, to the opportunity to become a doctor for a day or meet a chess hero, each of the 100 wishes reflected something personal to the child receiving it.
2026 is also a milestone year for both organisations. As Oxford International marks 35 years in international education, Make-A-Wish India has reached 100,000 wishes granted, 30 years after granting its first. Oxford International is pleased to have contributed 100 wishes to that wider milestone, supporting children and families across India.
100 wishes across India
Through the initiative, Oxford International supported 100 children receiving treatment through 17 hospitals and care partners, with children coming from 10 states across India. Forty-two wishes were delivered through Tata Memorial Hospital in Mumbai alone, with others reaching children through hospitals and care organisations in Mumbai, Delhi, Varanasi, Kolkata and beyond.
While every wish was individual, there was a clear theme in what many of the children wanted: ways to stay connected with the parts of everyday life that treatment had interrupted.
Of the 100 wishes, 98 were for a phone, laptop or tablet. Forty-four children chose a phone, providing a way to stay close to friends and family; 39 chose a laptop, including children who wanted to continue learning; and 15 chose a tablet of their own.
For some, that meant being able to join classes from a hospital ward. For others, it meant speaking to friends they could not see in person or staying connected with family during long periods of treatment.
The other two wishes took a very different form: one child wanted to experience being a doctor for a day, while another wanted to meet a chess grandmaster.
Learning, dreaming and staying connected
The wishes reflected very different needs and ambitions. For some children, they provided a way to continue with parts of everyday life interrupted by treatment. For others, they created an opportunity to experience a long-held dream.
For Aanchal, 13, who is living with Thalassemia Major, her wish for a tablet helped her continue the classes she was missing during treatment. She is now using it for her online studies as well as staying connected with her family. Her parents described the wish as giving her “hope, confidence and happiness.”
Sanskruti, 15, who is living with osteogenic sarcoma, has always wanted to become a doctor. On National Doctors’ Day, she was able to put on a white coat and spend time with patients alongside a Make-A-Wish medical officer, experiencing her ambition for a day. Her parents said they would never forget the happiness and pride they saw in her eyes.
For Swayam, 11, from Maharashtra, the dream was to meet his chess hero, Grandmaster Praggnanandhaa. After travelling six hours to Mumbai, Swayam played a full game with his idol – creating a memory his parents described as one of the proudest moments of their lives.
The ripple effect of a wish
For children and families living with critical illness, everyday life can become shaped by treatment, hospital visits and time away from school, friends and family. The wishes supported through Make-A-Wish India created opportunities for something different – whether that was reconnecting with everyday life, continuing to learn or simply having something positive to look forward to and celebrate together.
That experience extended to the families around each child. Parents involved in the initiative described the excitement of seeing their children enjoy their wishes, as well as valuing the opportunity to spend positive time together away from the routines surrounding treatment.
Oxford International colleagues from our India office were also involved in wish-granting activities in Mumbai, spending time with children and their families as wishes were celebrated. At one ceremony, colleagues held a Parents’ Day card-making activity, giving children the opportunity to create something especially for their parents.
Together, these moments show how the impact could extend beyond fulfilling an individual wish, creating opportunities for children and their families to connect, celebrate and share positive experiences during an incredibly challenging time.
Contributing to wider goals
The impact of the initiative extends beyond the individual wishes. Through supporting children living with critical illnesses, helping many to remain connected to education, and working in partnership with Make-A-Wish India, the work contributes to several of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – including Good Health and Well-being (SDG 3), Quality Education (SDG 4), Reduced Inequalities (SDG 10) and Partnerships for the Goals (SDG 17).
For Oxford International, the connection with education is particularly meaningful. The opportunity for children to continue learning during treatment resonates with our belief in Learning Without Limits and the importance of creating opportunities for people to continue learning and pursuing their ambitions.
Momentum in action
Momentum is Oxford International’s global CSR programme, bringing colleagues across our organisation together to support causes that matter in the communities where they live and work.
Jo Grendall, Chief People Officer at Oxford International, said:
“Momentum is about enabling our people to make a meaningful difference in the communities around them. Our work with Make-A-Wish India shows what that can look like at a local level, bringing our colleagues together to support a cause that matters in their community. I’m particularly pleased to see our value of Care reflected in what our team in India has helped to deliver for these 100 children and their families.”
Dhruv Pandey, Chief Executive Officer at Make-A-Wish India, said:
“Every wish is a powerful reminder of what is possible when a child is given the opportunity to dream, hope and look beyond their illness. We are deeply grateful to Oxford International and its colleagues in India for helping us grant 100 wishes for children living with critical illnesses. From helping children stay connected to their education, families and friends, to making long-held dreams come true, their support has brought moments of joy and hope to children and their families at a time when they need it most. We are proud to have partnered with Oxford International through Momentum and to see the meaningful difference this collaboration has made across India.”
Our work with Make-A-Wish India is one of the local initiatives being delivered through Momentum by Oxford International teams around the world. Together, these activities form a wider collective effort to create positive social and environmental impact across the communities where we live and work.
Momentum – Local Action, Global Impact.