Cricket Legends, Bollywood Icons And Business Leaders Kick start Habitat For Humanity Fundraising Drive For India
July 19th, 2011
London Fundraising Dinner Is Finale To Events Including High Tea At Kensington Palace And “Mock Build” At London Business School
M.S. Dhoni, captain of India’s World Cup winning team, wanted to provide a nurturing environment for young people. He was speaking at a fundraising dinner in London held in aid of Habitat’s IndiaBUILDS ad the M.S. Charitable Foundation.
LONDON, 19th July 2011: England and Indian cricketing legends, Bollywood stars and business leaders were united yesterday (18th July 2011) at a fundraising dinner hosted by Mahendra Singh Dhoni, current captain of India’s World-Cup-winning cricket team, and Mrs. Rajashree Birla, director of Aditya Birla Group, for Habitat for Humanity and the M.S. Dhoni Charitable Foundation, “Winning Ways, today for tomorrow”.
At the colorful “East Meet West” event at Hilton Park Lane Hotel, cricket stars Sachin Tendulkar, Brian Lara, Yuvraj Singh, Courtney Walsh, Farokh Engineer, Alec Steward, Harbhajan Singh, together with Bollywood icons, Ranganathan ‘Maddy’ Madhavan, Jacqueline Fernandez , Omi Vaidya and ex-cricketer and commentator, Ravi Shastri, mixed with high-profile business leaders to enjoy dinner and take part in a charity auction.
“I want to provide the right environment for young people, and then there will be no reason why they can’t flourish,” said M. S. Dhoni, as he addressed a room of a thousand people.
The most popular item sold in the charity auction at the dinner was a painting by Sacha Jafri, which sold for 260,000 (US419,000), created as a special tribute to Sachin Tendulkar and to commemorate the day that India won the Cricket World Cup earlier this year.
This was closely followed by the cricket bat used by Dhoni in the World Cup Final, and signed by the sportsman himself, that went for 100,000 (US161,000).
Other popular items included an original copy of the script of Bollywood blockbuster 3 Idiots signed by the director and cast; a chance to spend a day on the set of forthcoming film, Teri Meri Kahani, starring Shahid Kapoor and Priyanka Chopra; John Abraham’s biker jacket and helmet, signed and framed by the Bollywood actor; and a special coaching session with Dhoni at Lord’s Cricket Ground in London.
Both charities, Habitat for Humanity and the M. S. Dhoni Foundation, will equally benefit from the auction and ticket sales.
Cricket stars, both past and present, took the opportunity to praise Sachin Tendulkar, India’s record-breaking batsman, who was present at the event. Retired English cricketer Alec Stewart compared Tendulkar to the greatest batsman of all time, calling him “a modern day Sir Donald Bradman”. Nicknamed ‘The Don’, Australian-born Bradman (1908-2001) was voted the greatest cricketer of the 20th century in 2000 by Wisden Cricket Almanack, a cricket reference book published annually in the United Kingdom.
Rahul Dravid, a cricketer in the Indian national team, said: “In India, we have many gods. Sachin has just been added to the list.”
The “East Meets West’ event was the grand finale of events taking place over the last two days to launch Habitat for Humanity’s IndiaBUILDS campaign in Great Britain, a new fundraising drive to support families currently living in substandard houses in India.
Mrs. Rajashree Birla said: “A home is a primary need for every person. It transcends being just a shelter, as it represents the opportunity to unleash potential. A house is the focal point around which families grow and communities thrive.”
Earlier on 18th July, guests gathered for a high tea reception at The Orangery in Kensington Palace with the Duke of Gloucester, Royal Patron of Habitat for Humanity Great Britain.
The day before, on 17 July, supporters took part in a “mock build” at London Business School, laying symbolic bricks and tiles to build a house representing the 100,000 homes which Habitat aims to build in India by 2015.
At this “Build a Home – Brick by Brick” event, Bollywood star Ranganathan ‘Maddy’ Madhavan shared his reasons for supporting Habitat for Humanity and the IndiaBUILDs campaign.
“When I was younger, I had these noble aspirations and believed I had the power to make a difference. I have been lucky enough to see the world but still only felt I was half the man I wanted to be. This is why I support Habitat for Humanity. I want to be that person to make a change. The easiest way to support is by writing a check, but I also encourage others to volunteer and fulfill that desire to make a difference.”
To donate to IndiaBUILDS, please visit indiabuilds.org.uk.