COVID-19: Shikhar Dhawan urges citizens to donate towards PM Relief Fund

New Delhi, March 26: India opener Shikhar Dhawan has urged all citizens of the country to come forward and donate whatever they can to the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund, saying the need of the hour is to make a difference as India fights the COVID-19 pandemic with a 21-day nationwide lockdown.

"Hi everyone remember to stay indoors & take care of your family and yourself. I have done my bit and contributed to Prime Minister
@narendramodi Ji's National Relief Fund - https://pmnrf.gov.in/en/online-donation Encouraging all of you to help, so that together we can make a difference," Dhawan said in a tweet with a video message in Hindi.

Ace Indian shuttler P.V. Sindhu has donated a sum of Rs 10 lakh to combat the spread of coronavirus.

Sindhu has donated Rs 5 lakh each to Andhra Pradesh and Telangana Chief Minister Relief Funds in fight against COVID-19 pandemic.

Earlier, South superstar Pawan Kalyan also donated a total sum of Rs 2 crore to combat the spread of coronavirus. Kalyan donated Rs 50 lakh each to Andhra Pradesh and Telangana Chief Minister Relief Funds. He also donated Rs 1 crore to Prime Minister's Relief Fund.

Star wrestler Bajrang Punia, who works as an OSD in Railways, has already donated his six months' salary to Haryana coronavirus relief fund.

Former India opener and BJP lawmaker Gautam Gambhir has also offered to release Rs 50 lakh from his Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS) fund for the equipment to treat coronavirus patients in Delhi government hospitals.

Tennis star Sania Mirza has also stepped forward to raise money to provide food and other basic necessities for the daily wage workers during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, which has so far claimed more than 20,000 lives across the world.

The Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) has also donated Rs 25 lakh towards the West Bengal government's emergency relief fund with president Avishek Dalmiya adding another 5 lakh from his pocket.

Around 650 confirmed cases of coronavirus have been reported so far in India while 13 people have lost their lives.