New Delhi, March 27 Ace Indian sprinter Hima Das has pledged to donate her one month's salary to combat the coronavirus pandemic. Das will be donating her salary to Assam's COVID-19 relief fund.
"Friends it's high time to stand together and support people who need us. I am contributing 1 month of my salary to Assam government in Assam Arogya Nidhi Account made to safeguard the health of people in the wake of COVID-19," she tweeted on Thursday tagging Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju and Assam Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
Rijiju was all in praise for Hima Das's announcement as he lauded the sprinter's efforts to make a difference. "Great gesture, Hima Das. Your hard-earned one month's salary means a lot and it will be very purposeful! India fights corona", he tweeted.
Ace Indian shuttler P.V. Sindhu has also donated a sum of Rs 10 lakh to combat the spread of coronavirus. Sindhu has donated Rs 5 lakh each to Andhra Pradesh and Telangana Chief Minister Relief Funds in fight against COVID-19 pandemic.
"I hereby donate an amount of Rs 5,00,000/- each (Rs five lakhs) towards the "Chief Ministers Relief Fund" for the states of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh to fight against COVID-19," she tweeted.
Star wrestler Bajrang Punia, who works as an OSD in Railways, has already donated his six months' salary to Haryana coronavirus relief fund.
Former India opener and BJP lawmaker Gautam Gambhir will be donating Rs 50 lakh to make sure citizens are given adequate equipment to fight the coronavirus pandemic in the national capital.
BCCI President and former India captain Sourav Ganguly has said he will provide free rice worth Rs 50 lakh to the needy people who have been put in government schools for safety and security amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Tennis star Sania Mirza has also stepped forward to raise money to provide food and other basic necessities for the daily wage workers during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, which has so far claimed more than 20,000 lives across the world.
Around 700 confirmed cases of coronavirus have been reported so far in India while 16 people have lost their lives.
( With inputs from IANS )