After being named Man of the Match in the second ODI against Australia in Rajkot, Indian cricketer K.L. Rahul promised to help Besant Memorial Animal Dispensary(BMAD), an outreach programme for animal welfare at the Theosophical Society.
Shravan Krishnan, an animal rights activist who helps run the BMAD, said that the cricketer, who is a friend of his, donated his MoM cash award of ₹1 lakh as well as an additional ₹1 lakh to the shelter.
“This is not the first time he has helped us. He has been following our work at the BMAD for a while now and has always been keen on helping us out. Based on our posts on social media, he has messaged us and asked us many times in the past if we need any financial assistance,” Shravan said.
Recalling their association, Shravan said that he had played junior cricket with K.L. Rahul as a part of the South Zone team. While Shravan played for Tamil Nadu, Rahul played for Karnataka and Shravan said that the cricketer was one of the most talented and hard-working sportsmen in their batch.
In a Facebook post, which was shared by several people and garnered appreciation for the cricketer, Shravan thanks his friend Rahul and said that the BMAD thanked him for being a champ both on and off the field.
The BMAD shelter houses over 150 animals which range from dogs, pigs, cats, horses, donkeys and camels. “Apart from housing animals that have been rescued and abandoned, we also treat injured animals and perform surgeries. Many animals that are severely injured or ailing and cannot be released, stay in the shelter and are cared for by us,” Shravan said, adding that the donation would be of immense help to them.
