The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Blasts in Mumbai a senseless act, says Rahul Dravid

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Aug 08, 2006

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Blasts in Mumbai a senseless act, says Rahul Dravid

Staff Reporter

Cricketers participate in charity dinner to raise funds for the survivors

FOR A CAUSE: (from left) Cricketers Irfan Pathan, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar at charity dinner to raise funds for survivors of the recent Mumbai blasts, in Bangalore on Monday. — Photo: K. Murali Kumar

Bangalore: Members of the Indian cricket team joined hands in doing its bit for the survivors of the July 11 Mumbai blasts.

The team, led by "the wall" Rahul Dravid, participated in a charity dinner to raise funds for the survivors, in the city on Monday. "It was a senseless act," said Dravid.

Some survivors of the blast, who were present at the function, remembered their lost relatives.

Master blaster Sachin Tendulkar along with his teammates consoled them.

It was one of the unique events held in Bangalore in recent times in which over Rs. 20 lakh was raised. An audio visual presentation on the Mumbai blasts touched hearts.

The event was organised by Vyas Giannetti Creative Sports along with members of the Indian cricket team. Funds were raised through the sale of donor tables to corporate houses such as Aditya Birla Group, Birla Sun Life Financial Services, Dimexon Diamonds Limited, Star TV, Tata Group and TV Today Network. The amount was donated to the Maharashtra Chief Minister's Relief Fund to support relief work.

The event also saw unveiling of the "Mumbai Not Out" wrist band, an initiative by Vyas Giannetti Creative Sports. The bands will be available at retail outlets at Rs. 30 each. The proceeds will go towards facilitating rehabilitation programmes in the city, said Atul Hegde, vice-president of Vyas Giannetti Creative Sports. The donors were presented autographed cricket bats by the cricket team while the remaining were auctioned.

Dravid called for taking steps to prevent recurrence of such incidents. Thanking corporates for contributing to the fund, he said that the response has proved that Indians could fight against any terrorist attack. People of Mumbai had proved that they could not be cowed down by those who used mindless terror, he added.

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