Coronavirus: Indian footballers donate funds towards fight against pandemic

With the coronavirus creating havoc globally, several members of the India men's national football team have come forward to lend a helping hand by contributing towards the social cause, led by skipper Sunil Chhetri.

"We’ve always received more than we can give. Which is why in this time of need, all of us national team players have come together and put on the table a sum that has been sent to the PM-Cares Fund to help India’s fight with the pandemic," Chhetri wrote on Twitter.

He added, "It’s been heartening to see everyone – cutting across caps, goals, age and experience – give, and give with a smile. When word got out, even some who have long stopped pulling on an India shirt, turned up and asked to be counted. That’s what a team is all about."

Pritam Kotal, who contributed Rs 50,000 to the West Bengal Chief Minister's fund, said, “As an Indian it's my responsibility to lend a hand to the cause in whatever possible manner I can."

Midfielder Pronay Halder has taken up the responsibility of providing food to underprivileged kids who earn their bread on daily basis.

Read: East Bengal donates Rs 30 lakh to fight coronavirus pandemic

"There are a lot of underprivileged kids at the Barrackpore Mangal Pandey Football Coaching Camp who earn on a daily basis. The situation is a bit difficult now. So I am helping procure food, or food items for them to come out of the crisis," Halder said.

“I know that there are also many who stay around the Barrackpore Railway Station and they are struggling for food. So me along with some of my friends are distributing basic food items to the station-dwellers, and others who stay outside," he added.

In addition, the midfielder has also donated INR 20,000/- to the CM relief fund.

His team-mate, Prabir Das has also joined in. "We understand that we need to stand together to fight against this. We have tried to make small contributions to the fund initiated by our Chief Minister. Hope we see the light at the end of the tunnel soon," he said.

ATK goalkeeper Arindam Bhattacharya has donated Rs 25,000 to the fund.