Tendulkar donates Rs 50 lakh to combat COVID-19 pandemic

New Delhi: Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar on Friday donated Rs 50 lakh to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, which has wreaked havoc globally.

Sachin's donation is so far the biggest contribution among India's leading sportspersons, some of whom have pledged their salaries while a few others have donated medical equipment to combat the dreaded outbreak.

Tendulkar has been associated with a lot of charity work and there has been numerous times, he has taken up social causes, helped people, which has never been brought to public notice.

On Thursday, Star Indian sprinter Hima also pledged to donate her one month's salary to Assam government's coronavirus relief fund while PV Sindhu on also donated Rs 5 lakh each to the Chief Minister's Relief Funds of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. 

Among other prominent cricketers, the Pathan brothers - Irfan and Yusuf donated 4000 face masks to Baroda police and health department while Mahendra Singh Dhoni, through a Pune based NGO, made a contribution of Rs 1 lakh.

Earlier, BCCI president Sourav Ganguly, wrestler Bajrang Punia, Gautam Gambhir had also contributed their bit for the cause.

According to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the total number of positive coronavirus cases in the country crossed 700 mark, while 17 deaths have taken place so far.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday announced a 21-day lockdown in the entire country to deal with the spread of coronavirus, saying that "social distancing" is the only option to deal with the disease, which spreads rapidly.(UNI)