Bharat Army raises £23,000 for oxygen concentrators in rural India

MUMBAI: The Bharat Army, a dedicated UK-based fan group which cheers Team India around the world, is now helping India fight out its toughest battle yet, on a different field. It has pitched in with two separate fundraisers to help India, which is in the midst of a massive oxygen crisis due to the ghastly impact of the second wave of Covid-19.
While it has collaborated with the British Asian Trust (BAT) to raise funds for oxygen concentrators, which will be supplied to small towns and villages in the country, it has also taken part in the 'BAPS Cycle to Save Lives' fundraiser in the UK.
In a laudable gesture, as of Monday morning, the Bharat Army, which boasts of over one lakh members globally, has raised £23,000 in just over a week since its campaign, called the 'Oxygen For India emergency appeal' kicked off, with BAT. With BAPS, it has contributed over £1000 in the UK.
The initiative started last Wednesday (April 21). Overall, along with Bharat Army's contributions both BAT and BAPs in the UK have raised over £2 million.
"This money will help over 50,000 people in remote villages of India with the use of low flow Oxygen concentrators. Our next target is to reach £25,000. The Covid pandemic has hit India for a six. It is destroying Indian families and communities and we must do everything to help and support them as quickly as possible. There has been a huge amount of desire by our members to support those in India in real need. I do hope we can pull together and make a significant contribution to help," Bharat Army founder Rakesh Patel told TOI from London on Monday.
The Bharat Army has asked its members to donate on https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/bharat-army.