Bollywood actor Sonu Sood has done it again. Sonu, who became popular playing the villain in Bollywood films, turned hero in real life for many stranded migrant workers when he organised transport and resources for them to reach home amid the pandemic-induced lockdown.
And now, the young actor has launched an initiative to provide full scholarships to students, facing financial challenges, for higher education.
Taking to his Twitter account, Sonu wrote, "Hindustaan Badhega Tabhi, Jab Padhenge Sabhi! Launching full scholarships for students for higher education. I believe, financial challenges should not stop any one from reaching their goals. Send in ur entries at scholarships@sonusood.me (in next 10 days) & I will reach out to u (sic)."
Launched in the name of his late mother Prof. Saroj Sood, the initiative looks at providing underprivileged students full scholarships for higher education. Students coming from families whose annual income is less than Rs 2 lakh can apply with 'good academic record' being the only criterion.
Earlier on Teacher's Day, Sonu Sood dedicated a post for his mother and worte, "I am walking on the path shown by you mother. The destination is far away but will surely be found. Happy Teacher’s Day my teacher...Prof. Saroj sood."
For the uninformed, Sonu has been undertaking various social welfare initiatives ever since the coronavirus pandemic hit people across the globe. Recently, when a social activist sought help from him for Varanasi boatmen who were going without food due to floods, the actor was prompt in reaching out.
Within an hour, Sonu Sood responded to the tweet and wrote, "No member of these 350 families of Varanasi Ghats will sleep hungry after today." Thereafter, Sood`s associate, Neeti Goel, called Upadhyay and assured him that ration kits will be made available to them in Varanasi itself within one hour.
"We got 350 ration kits from the actor within no time. Each kit contained 5 kg flour, 5 kg rice, 2 kg gram, a packet of spice and other eatables. Out of 350, 100 kits were immediately distributed among the families of the boatmen on Wednesday," said a member of Upadhyaya`s team.
Earlier, during the lockdown imposed across the country, Sonu made headlines for coming out and helping migrant workers reach their families in their hometowns by arranging transport facilities for them.
"I remember when we saw those visuals of all those migrants, you know, walking in millions across the country, I think everyone was disturbed seeing those visuals and I remember when we were giving food to almost 45,000 people every day," he recalled.
"There`s a place in Thane called `Kalwa Chowk` where we were giving food, and I saw a group of people walking with little kids. I asked where they were going, and they said they were going to Karnataka," Sonu recalled, adding that he then convinced them to wait for a while so that he could make arrangements and take due permissions for their travel.
"When they left for Karnataka, I was on the bus and, you know, they had tears in the eyes and smiles on the faces," the actor recalled the incident that nudged him to help stranded migrants," said Sonu during a conversation with actress Neha Dhupia in a podcast of "JioSaavn #NoFilterNeha" season five.
(With inputs from IANS)
