Union Youth Affairs and Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju on Monday appreciated ace cueist Pankaj Advani for donating Rs 5 lakh to the PM-CARES Fund to help the country in its fight against the coronavirus pandemic.
Taking to Twitter, Rijiju replied on Advani's tweet and wrote: "Very appreciable gesture @PankajAdvani247."
Earlier in the day, Advani wrote: "A small gesture for a mammoth cause. Contributed Rs 5 Lakhs to the PM CARES Fund. Let's spread awareness, love, compassion and the spirit of unity for the greater good of humanity. Jai Hind."After the establishment of the Prime Minister's Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations (PM-CARES), several sportspersons have come forward to contribute and help the country combat COVID-19.
On April 5, cricketer Yuvraj Singh donated Rs 50 lakh to the PM-CARES Fund. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) gave Rs 51 crore to PM-CARES Fund while cricketer Suresh Raina donated Rs 31 lakh to PM-CARES Fund and Rs 21 lakh to Uttar Pradesh CM's Disaster Relief Fund.
Former Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar has donated Rs 50 lakh to aid the battle against COVID-19.
The total number of COVID-19 positive cases in India have risen to 4,067, said Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Monday.