VVS Laxman steps on to a different wicket and with a cause! The cricketing great from the City has announced that VVS Foundation, a non-profit voluntary organisation aimed at changing the lifestyle from the under-privileged strata by supporting them on all fronts to realise their dreams, will have a “Black Tie – Fundraiser’ event on May 5 here.
The brain-child of Sailaja Laxman, the elegant Hyderabadi’s wife, the Foundation (started in 2012) reminded that they are already into the job of helping the needy. “It will not be just academics and sports but art and culture. Already 90 beneficiaries are getting a feel of the way the Foundation is going to function. There are four IIT students also on the rolls of the Foundation and being taken care in all aspects including about ₹1 lakh fees for each of the four students.”
Professionally run
“Yes, I am inspired by Sailaja’s passion and commitment in her philanthropic activities. We thought it should be run in a more professional manner. That’s why we are launching it in a big way on May 5,” Laxman said here on Friday.
The donor passes will be available from April 5 and donations are welcome and since there is Income Tax exemption, those interested can visit the website http://vvsfoundation.org ,” he said.
“That event will feature two panel discussions. One on ‘Sports Coaching in India’ with the panellists being cricketers Yuvraj Singh, David Warner, badminton coach Pullela Gopichand with well-known commentator Harsha Bhogle as moderator, the second is on ‘Power of Dreams’ with Telangana IT Minister K.T. Rama Rao and film star Samantha as panellists and I would be the moderator,” Laxman revealed.
Two streams
The fund raiser event would be an annual show from this year, he added.
There will be the Satya Ram scholarship (on his parents names Dr. Satyabhama and Dr. Shanta Ram) in academics and another one Baba Krishna Mohan (Laxman’s uncle) scholarship in sports. The selection criteria are very stringent and there will be three quarterly audits to make a critical review to ensure that only the deserving get benefits from the Foundation, Laxman explained. “The target is to see about 500 beneficiaries through this Foundation.”
“There are no geographical restrictions for our Foundation but a qualified panel headed by eminent people will scrutinise the whole process,” Laxman said. “The whole idea is we show them the path to realise their dreams,” he added.
