Celebrities And Cricketers Step In To Help Support India’s Fight Against COVID-19

New Delhi: While India observes the worst COVID-19 wave in the world, various countries and organisations have stepped in to help the country. At the same time, Indian celebrities and cricketers are also not the ones to stay behind. Here’s how they are doing their bit to help the nation at the time of this unprecedented health crisis.

Randeep Hooda

Actor Randeep Hooda announced via a video that he has teamed up with NGO, Khalsa Aid, to arrange at least 700 concentrators for the COVID-afflicted, at a time when there is oxygen shortage across the country. In the video post, Mr Hooda displays several placards with startling facts like ‘India needs Oxygen’, ‘Every 4 minutes a person dies by Covid-19’, ‘Crematoriums and burials are running out of space’, and ‘You can save precious lives.’

Ppl are dying due to lack of oxygen, help India breathe ????@khalsaaid_india is providing
oxygen concentrators to reduce burden on medical system. You can come forward & contribute so that concentrators reach those in need.https://t.co/rrcTViqJy4#KhalsaAid #COVID19India pic.twitter.com/9Ey1pm1z3c

— Randeep Hooda (@RandeepHooda) May 4, 2021

It’s your chance to save lives! With India facing the worst of the pandemic, people are dying due to lack of oxygen. Let’s come together to help the country fight #COVID and save precious lives. @khalsaaid_india is providing oxygen concentrators and we urge you to come forward and do you bit to help India breathe, read in the caption.

Priyanka Chopra

Priyanka Chopra and her husband Nick Jonas managed to raise nearly  Rs 2.87 crore for COVID-19 relief in India, through a fundraiser that they set up with the NGO GiveIndia. With more than 7,000 supporters donated Rs. 2,87,32,457 ( Rs. 2.87 crore). The goal amount is Rs. 7,40,63,054 (Rs 7.4 crore or $1 million).

Also Read: PM Modi Reviews COVID-19 Situation, Stresses States Should Not Let COVID Vaccination Speed Go Down

Varun Dhawan

Bollywood star Varun Dhawan on Saturday joined an initiative to help procure and donate oxygen concentrators to hospitals. He took to his social media handles and shared a statement revealing that the first shipment has already reached India and has been deployed at 14 hospitals.

During uncertain times like these, our healthcare system needs utmost help. Since we know that oxygen is the need of the hour, I have contributed and partnered with @MissionOxygenIndia in their initiative to procure and donate lifesaving oxygen concentrators to hospitals across the country. As a group of 30 something individuals who have managed to step up for the country in this time of need and raise over Rs 21 crores for the procurement of 3,900 OCs in under a week. I resonate deeply with their cause and urge everyone to help in whatever capacity possible. The first shipment of oxygen concentrators arrived in the country and they have already been allocated across 14 hospitals.

???? #missionoxygen pic.twitter.com/Pmh5UwZYc8

— VarunDhawan (@Varun_dvn) May 1, 2021

Twinkle Khanna and Akshay Kumar

The Bollywood power couple, Twinkle Khanna and Akshay Kumar,  donated 100 oxygen concentrators, doing their bit in the fight against COVID-19. Mrs Khanna shared on twitter,

Wonderful news-Dr Drashnika Patel & Dr Govind Bankani of London Elite Health through Daivik Foundation are donating120 oxygen concentrators and as @akshaykumar and I have managed to get our hands on 100 as well, we have a total of 220.Thank you for the leads.Let’s all do our bit.

Wonderful news-Dr Drashnika Patel & Dr Govind Bankani of London Elite Health through Daivik Foundation are donating120 oxygen concentrators and as @akshaykumar and I have managed to get our hands on 100 as well,we have a total of 220.Thank you for the leads.Let’s all do our bit????

— Twinkle Khanna (@mrsfunnybones) April 27, 2021

Sanjana Sanghi

Actor Sanjana Sanghi has launched a mental health campaign ‘Here to Hear’ to address and provide free mental aid amid the COVID-19 pandemic. To address and provide aid regarding mental health concerns, the ‘Dil Bechara’ actor’s campaign allows people to get access to free sessions with psychologists and qualified listeners in partnership with an online counselling platform.

There was never a rule book handed to any of us on how to cope with a catastrophic pandemic like we are presently facing. And in the absence of that rule book, amidst such a grave crisis that is ridden with loss of life and uncertainty – we can easily find ourselves consumed with all kinds of worrying thoughts, fears, anxieties, and confusion. I’m so proud to see all of us as citizens stepping up to help in ways big and small, and I truly hope our work that has gone behind making ‘Here to Hear’ possible (will) help. De-stigmatising, seeking the support of mental health experts, as well as emphasising the importance of doing so to be able to disentangle the many thoughts that may be making this already tough circumstance even tougher is extremely crucial, she further shared in a press release.

Also Read: One In Four People Experience Mild Side Effects From Covishield COVID-19 Vaccine: Lancet Study

Farhan Akhtar

Bollywood star Farhan Akhtar took to his Twitter handle and shared a concise list of NGOs to which his production company Excel Entertainment has made donations to.

Mr. Akhtar wrote,

Sharing a list of organisations that @excelmovies has donated to thus far, in the fight against COVID-19. From oxygen to ambulances to food, they are doing some incredible work on the ground. Encourage you to do your bit to help. Every rupee matters. Jai Hind. @ritesh_sid.

Sharing a list of organisations that @excelmovies has donated to thus far, in the fight against COVID-19. From oxygen to ambulances to food, they are doing some incredible work on the ground. Encourage you to do your bit to help. Every rupee matters.
Jai Hind. ???????? @ritesh_sid

— Farhan Akhtar (@FarOutAkhtar) May 1, 2021

Hemkunt Foundation, Doctor For You, Mission Vayu, Rasoi On Wheels, Give India, Hope Welfare Trust, SBS Foundation, Sathyarth Socio are some of the organisation names shared by Farhan that are providing oxygen cylinders, food for quarantined patients, medication to everyone tackling the virus.

Deepika Padukone

Deepika Padukone came forward to spread awareness on mental health amid the raging second wave of COVID-19. Taking to her Instagram handle, Ms. Padukone shared some important mental health helpline numbers and insisted that her followers are not alone.

She wrote,

As millions of us (me and my family included) strive to stay afloat, let us not forget that our emotional well-being in this current crisis, is equally important! Remember, You Are Not Alone. We are in this Together. And most importantly, there is Hope!

Sachin Tendulkar

Legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar also shared on twitter that he is supporting Mission Oxygen as he urged his followers to do their bit for the country amid the COVID-19 crisis.

???????? pic.twitter.com/rFEDOCFOkP

— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) April 29, 2021

Sanjeev Kapoor

Celebrity chef Sanjeev Kapoor will be providing free meals to over 500 doctors who are treating COVID-19 patients at the state-run civil hospital in Ahmedabad. Mr Kapoor has appointed 12 chefs who would prepare three meals a day for over 500 doctors. These doctors are serving at the 1,200-bed COVID facility at the civil hospital located in Asarva area of the city.

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB)

Indian Premiere League’s Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) skipper Virat Kohli informed that the franchise will be making a financial contribution to help the healthcare infrastructure related to Oxygen support in Bengaluru among other cities of the country.

Mr Kohli in a video posted on RCB’s Twitter handle also said in the ongoing IPL 2021, RCB will be sporting a special “blue jersey” in one of the upcoming games to pay respect and show solidarity to all the front-line heroes who have led the fight against coronavirus pandemic.

RCB has identified key areas where much needed help is required immediately in healthcare infrastructure related to Oxygen support in Bangalore and other cities, and will be making a financial contribution towards this. pic.twitter.com/jS5ndZR8dt

— Royal Challengers Bangalore (@RCBTweets) May 2, 2021

RCB has identified key areas where much needed help is required immediately in healthcare infrastructure related to Oxygen support in Bangalore and other cities, and will be making a financial contribution towards this. This season RCB is going to be sporting a special Blue jersey in 1 of the upcoming matches with key messaging on the match kit to pay our respect and show solidarity to all the front line heroes who have spent last year wearing PPE kits and leading the fight against the pandemic, he added.

The franchise will also auction all the signed player jerseys from the game to raise money for supporting healthcare infrastructure.

RCB will also auction all the signed player jerseys from this game to raise money and add to our earlier financial contribution supporting healthcare infrastructure related to oxygen support. We also urge you stay home and get vaccinated at the earliest opportunity, said Mr Kohli.

Australian Cricket Team

Australian Cricket is also supporting the India COVID-19 Crisis Appeal, with Cricket Australia, the Australian Cricketers’ Association and UNICEF Australia partnering to raise funds.

UNICEF Australia’s India COVID-19 Crisis Appeal is procuring and installing oxygen generation plants in hospitals to treat seriously ill patients, providing testing equipment in heavily impacted districts, and supporting the acceleration of the COVID-19 vaccination rollout.

Cricket Australia will make an initial donation of $50,000 and encourage Australians everywhere to give generously at this critical time in India’s COVID-19 response. Nick Hockley, Cricket Australia’s Interim CEO said in an official statement,

Australians and Indians share a special bond and, for many, our mutual love of cricket is central to that friendship. It has been distressing and saddening to learn of the suffering of so many of our Indian sisters and brothers during the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic and our hearts go out to everyone impacted. We were all deeply moved by the sentiments expressed and donations given by Pat Cummins and Brett Lee over the past week. In that same spirit, we are proud to partner with UNICEF Australia to raise funds that will help the people of India by providing the health system with much-needed oxygen, testing equipment and vaccines.

NDTV – Dettol Banega Swasth India campaign is an extension of the five-year-old Banega Swachh India initiative helmed by Campaign Ambassador Amitabh Bachchan. It aims to spread awareness about critical health issues facing the country. In wake of the current COVID-19 pandemic, the need for WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) is reaffirmed as handwashing is one of the ways to prevent Coronavirus infection and other diseases. The campaign highlights the importance of nutrition and healthcare for women and children to prevent maternal and child mortality, fight malnutrition, stunting, wasting, anaemia and disease prevention through vaccines. Importance of programmes like Public Distribution System (PDS), Mid-day Meal Scheme, POSHAN Abhiyan and the role of Aganwadis and ASHA workers are also covered. Only a Swachh or clean India where toilets are used and open defecation free (ODF) status achieved as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014, can eradicate diseases like diahorrea and become a Swasth or healthy India. The campaign will continue to cover issues like air pollution, waste management, plastic ban, manual scavenging and sanitation workers and menstrual hygiene.