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Friday, March 29, 2024

Indian celebrities rally together to raise life-saving funds for ‘I Breathe for India: Covid Crisis Relief’

Actress Lara Dutta and sports scientist Shayama Vallabhjee joined hands with The Indus Entrepreneurs (TIE), a non-profit headquartered in Silicon Valley for ‘I Breathe For India Campaign: Covid Crisis Relief’, a virtual fundraising campaign to help India battle the COVID-19 crisis.

‘I Breathe for India: Covid Crisis Relief’ was produced by global creative commerce agency, VMLY&R COMMERCE ENCOMPASS with platform partners including YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Sony Liv, Voot, Mzaalo and Glance, helping to amplify and restream the event.

The campaign, which runs until May 20, brings together Indian luminaries, actors, and sports personalities, including Amitabh Bachchan, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, H.H. Radhanath Swami, Karan Johar, Rishabh Pant, Anil Kapoor, Anupam Kher, Samantha Prabhu, Tarun Tahiliani, and many more, who appeared in a live special two-hour fundraising drive for ‘Give India’ – India’s largest non-profit working actively with 2200 NGOs on the ground in the fight against COVID-19. Donations are open until May 20.

During the drive, the stars appeared reciting poetry, singing songs and delivering heartfelt messages, as part of a specially curated showcase, never before seen in India, which was streamed live across Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

Funds from the campaign will go towards essential life-saving medical supplies, humanitarian aid for families under the poverty line that have been affected by the crisis, and manpower support for setting up vaccination and isolation centres to strengthen the nations’ efforts to combat the spread of COVID-19.

Detailing about the campaign, Shayamal Vallabhjee, said, “The I BREATHE FOR INDIA campaign was more than a fundraiser. It represented the collective consciousness off many people whose only desire was to India and its citizens in its hour of need. In many ways it helped redefine what is possible as we move towards the ‘new normal’. Thanks to the unwavering dedication of the Encompass team and its partners, we more than doubled our initial goal of $1 million and now as a result, have extended our deadline to allow us to shatter the proverbial glass ceiling. Both Lara and I, and the teams from TIE Global and Give India are eternally grateful to the entire unit that made this possible.”

Referring to the success gained by the campaign, Lara Dutta said, “The success of the #IBreatheForIndia fundraiser would not have been possible without the individual efforts behind the scenes. My heartfelt thanks and gratitude to each and every one for selflessly giving your time and talents. God Bless and keep you all and your families safe until we are able to overcome this crisis together.”

About I Breathe For India: Virtual Fundraiser to help India battle the Covid crisis

I Breathe For India Campaign is a fundraising initiative by Lara Dutta & Shayamal Vallabhjee in association with the members and partners of TIE , a non-profit headquartered in Silicon Valley. It is the largest global network of entrepreneurs, investors and industry captains representing successful business leaders of Indian-origin across US, Europe & APAC.

Luminaries like Amitabh Bachchan, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, H.H. Radhanath Swami, Karan Johar, Rana Daggubati, Anil Kapoor, Anupam Kher, Samantha Prabhu, Tarun Tahliani, Abhishek Bachchan, Genelia & Ritesh Deshmukh, Kriti Sanon, Ashwin Ravichandran, Faye D Souza, Shikhar Dhawan, Rishabh Pant, Ankur Tewari and more have pledged their support to the campaign.

TIE members and partners have pledged a matching sponsorship of $1 Million to help India accelerate its fight against COVID-19. In a never before attempted initiative, the I Breathe For India Campaign is bringing together industry icons from Bollywood and Sports to garner what we hope will be a hugely successful fund raising drive for Give India – India’s largest non-profit working actively with 2200 NGO’s on the ground in the fight against COVID 19. 

All funds raised will go towards: 

1. Procurement and distribution of medical supplies including but not limited to – oxygen concentrators, oxygen cylinders, oximeters, ventilators and bipaps These will be distributed via three channels. Through the Govt, directly to verified hospitals and through verified on ground NGO’s.

2. Humanitarian Aid – direct cash support (INR 30,000 (approx $400)/family) via verified NGOs for families under the poverty line that have been affected by the Covid crisis and loss of primary breadwinners. Providing meals and ration kits to needy families

3.Setting up Vaccination and Isolation centres

Providing Manpower support to vaccination centres to strengthen the nations efforts to combat the spread of Covid-19 and providing infrastructure required to set up isolation centers for people affected by Covid. The funds raised through this campaign will assist in fighting the Covid crisis. Under this, oxygen concentrators, oxygen cylinder, oximeter, ventilators will be distributed. It will be divided through three channels – Government, Hospital and NGO.

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