'Want to show our gratitude, support': Pandya family makes crucial donation towards India's fight against Covid

In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, whose second wave has strangled India in a dangerous grip, various people have stepped in and made useful contributions to help the country battle the severity of the infection. As the IPL 2021 continues on, several cricketers have done their bit with sizeable donations from Shikhar Dhawan, Sachin Tendulkar and Jaydev Unadkat, and joining them are the Pandya brothers – Hardik and Krunal – who have decided to donated 200 oxygen concentrators to the rural parts of the country.

"We all understand the difficulty that our country is undergoing at this period of time. Gratitude to all the medical staff, frontline workers and all the individuals who have come out and held their hands at such times to fight out the battle," Hardik said before the start of the Mumbai Indians vs Chennai Super Kings clash in Delhi on Saturday.

"Krunal, myself and my mother - basically our entire family, we were finding ways at trying to help out. We decided to donate 200 oxygen concentrators to the rural parts of India where I feel the medical infrastructure needs more support. We all understand it's difficult, we want to show our gratitude, support and just want to tell everyone that they're always there in our prayers."

Tendulkar on Thursday donated ₹1 crore to procure oxygen concentrators for Covid-19 patients in the country. Delhi Capitals batsman Dhawan announced the decision to donate ₹20 lakh plus all his post-match individual performance awards towards mission oxygen to help fund the requirement of oxygen. Rajasthan Royals bowler Jaydev Unadkat decided to donate 10 percent of his IPL salary towards providing essential medical resources for those affected by the coronavirus.

"We are in unprecedented times right now, and it is the need of the hour that we do everything possible to help each other out," Dhawan said in his statement.

"Over the years, I have received incredible love and support from all of you, for which I am eternally grateful. It's now my turn to give back to the people of this country. I will be making a donation of ₹20 lakhs, plus money from all post-match individual performance awards that I receive from the IPL 2021 towards Mission Oxygen to help fund the requirement of oxygen."