Coronavirus relief aid
In an effort to bring India together during such uncertain times, Akshay took to social media to encourage people to stay indoors and help stop the spread of COVID-19, which has so far infected 1,251 people and killed more than 30 people in the country. The Sooryavanshi star also took part in an applause to thank service workers for their heroic efforts to save lives.
This was then followed up with a monumental donation of Rs 25 Crore (£2.5mn) of his own personal fortune to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s PM-CARES Fund to combat the pandemic. This made Akshay one of the biggest contributors internationally to pledge his efforts to the fight against the coronavirus.
Fire accident awareness
In Indian megastar Akshay Kumar’s latest commercial, he is seen wearing a fireman’s uniform for a campaign to raise awareness of the dangers of fire accidents for RRkabel, a leading wire and cable brand.
As the company’s brand ambassador, Akshay Kumar highlights the myths surrounding fires and how it is toxic smoke which is the real danger in these incidents. Using the hashtag #SerialKiller, the campaign also aims to address how the mainstream media often tend to overlook fire accidents in India, instead choosing to cover terror attacks or natural disasters in more detail despite the fact they cause significantly less deaths than fire accidents.
This is not the first time the A-lister has dedicated his time to a worthy cause, often choosing to help others before himself and improving the lives of many both in India and abroad. Here are just a few significant times Akshay Kumar warmed the hearts of his fans and the world with his selfless acts.
Opening Chennai’s first transgender home
Never one to shy away from tackling taboos, the actor, who is set to play a transgender person in the upcoming movie Laxmmi Bomb, showed he is willing to help leave no one behind in the mission to make the world a better place when he donated 1.5 crores (£13,242) to build a home for the transgender community in Chennai. Following a conversation with the film’s director Raghava Lawrence, Akshay immediately decided to step in to help with the project by helping with the work to provide a shelter for one of the country’s marginalised communities.
Flood Relief Funds
Following the devastating floods in parts of the country last year, many families lost loved ones, their homes and livelihoods. However, Akshay made the heart-warming gesture of donating 1 crore (£8,828) to each region affected by the flooding with the aim of helping the citizens to re-build their lives. This was a major move by Akshay who came forward at a time when India needed everyone’s support in such a difficult time.
Giving 100 brides a day they’ll never forget!
There is no doubt that Akshay’s philanthropic efforts know no bounds. Spearheading a campaign to encourage people to donate to the families of Indian soldiers, the star took time out of his busy schedule to attend a ‘samuh vivaah’, a mass marriage of lesser-privileged people. In order to make all their days that bit more special, Akshay gave each of the 100 brides 1 lakh (£88,350) to ensure that the newlyweds embark on their new lives together with a gift like no other. This was not just a generous gesture, but was testament to his heart of gold and his dedication to helping improve the lives of others.
