7-hr marathon on TV to raise funds for Uttarakhand
On August 15, Star Plus and other Star channels will broadcast live a seven-hour TV marathon in which several Bollywood stars will join hands to raise funds to rebuild the lives of those hit by the Uttarakhand disaster.
Amitabh Bachchan and A.R. Rahman will appear together in public for the first time in Saath Hain Hum Uttarakhand, to be held at the NSCI Grounds in Mumbai’s Worli. All its advertising revenue will go towards relief work in the hill state.
Disasters, whether natural or manmade, but especially those of unimaginable proportions such as the one we recently witnessed in Uttarakhand, call for an all-hands-on-deck response, not just from the government but also from society at large. The Uttarakhand disaster brought home moving stories of those who lost their lives, families, homes and occupations. While society grieved, sighed and prayed for the victims and their families, are we doing enough to help the victims rebuild their lives?
We, as a society, and even as corporates, are averse to taking responsibility for any disaster that hits us, political, natural, economic or otherwise. It is left only to the government to take the blame and pick up the pieces. In the process, do we often abdicate our own responsibility?
This needs to change. A key role in rebuilding Uttarakhand and restoring it to its natural glory is a social responsibility, not just a new buzzword. Practice it we must. We can start by supporting the tremendous effort that Star India has made. Let’s applaud those who do. Let’s lend Star’s initiative — Saath Hain Hum Uttarakhand — a helping hand. Saath Hain Hum Uttarakhand isn’t just about raising funds for helping the state fight this natural calamity, but is an attempt to tell all those suffering that we as a nation are with them.
Donate with a heart and join the effort. We must. We have!
Dilip Cherian is a senior communications professional and commentator on public affairs
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