Aniket, one of the five children of deceased HIV positive parents, could not believe a stranger’s gesture of taking him out for a movie last Saturday, after having been driven out of the house by his own uncles once upon a time.

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His educated uncles feared that they would get defamed if they gave shelter to the children of HIV positive parents. It was a surprise for 20 more orphans from Aasra in Airoli, to watch Patiala House on the 70mm screen at Malhaar theatre. These smiles were earned at an expense of 27 movie tickets by Saurabh Unnikrishnan, a business developer with Intell Vision Software Limited.

“Usually, we have some corporate houses or NGOs who offer help. But Unnikrishnan is the first sponsor who decided to go solo in his effort to add happiness to the life of these underprivileged children,” said Sharad Barsay from the Kalyan Childline. However, Unnikrishnan does not think it is a big deal. “You do not need to be a celebrity or a corporate house to do charity. If I succeed in bringing happiness to even 1% of the underprivileged children, the effort is worth it,” he said.

Interestingly, Unnikrishnan had been waiting for four months to take the children out. The plan kept getting delayed, sometimes due to the children’s examination or due to the theatres being loaded with adult movies. “It is rare for a sponsor to keep calling and checking for an appropriate time to work with the children. But Unnikrishnan kept following up and was waiting since November for a suitable day and movie to take the children along,” said Barsay.

Having seen his father doing charity regularly, Unnikrishnan has had inspiration right from the beginning. “Everyone in IT field should come forward to help. It takes little to spread immense happiness. It’s good to spend on oneself but we all must take out time to spare a thought for the underprivileged,” said Unnikrishnan who plans to not just continue his mission.