London (PTI): In a story that has touched the hearts of many, a child adopted by British parents from an orphanage in Delhi has grown up to raise thousands of pounds for the institution and will be given the 'Pride of Swindon' award next week.

Swindon-based Ali McCallum, now 12, was adopted by Neil and Kauser McCallum when he was four-month-old. Ali was left in a basket outside the Palna orphanage, and needed intensive therapy to gain strength.

A visit to the place where he began his life's stirring journey in 2006 inspired him to raise funds for Palna. On return home to Swindon, he began collecting funds by giving speeches, selling plants, making and selling cakes and organising charity dinners.

He said "I wanted to go and see where I started my life. The staff told me that they were doing really well but always needed money for better care. So I decided to help. It's my way of helping a few children have a better life".

In the last three years, he raised 3,000 pounds, and recently handed over a cheque for Palna to India's Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon at the Indian High Commission during his visit to London.

Now hailed as a hero in Swindon, the local council has decided to honour his fundraising efforts by awarding him the Pride of Swindon Award on 14 May. The award will be inaugurated by Mayor Steve Wakefield.

Proud of his Indian roots, Ali said: "many people see pictures from India and think it's so terrible and think they can't do anything. But you can make a difference in a small way and it's important to do something good. It's a wonderful country and I'm very proud to come from there".

In April, Ali held a charity curry night at the local Bombay Lounge restaurant. With 100 pounds in donations from people who could not attend, 60 pounds from a quiz on the curry nights and 120 pounds from the raffle, plus money already raised this year, Ali can now send another 1,000 pounds to Palna.

Mayor Wakefield, who attended the curry night, said, "Ali is doing great things for Palna. I'm really impressed that he sends everything he raises to the orphanage and also spends his pocket money on underwriting his fundraising work".

In a recent email, Palna authorities thanked Ali for the donations and informed him that the money will be spent on meeting the cost of vaccines and a new roof for the orphanage before the rains.

Ali is in Year 7 at Churchfields School and is an active member of the 18th Swindon Scout Group.