While Kerala Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund (CMDRF) is being flooded with contributions following the '#VaccineChallenge' on social media, Rs. 2 lakh contributed by a 63-year-old man hailing from Kannur district in North Kerala stands apart.
Chaladan Janardhanan, a beedi worker has just Rs. 850 left in his bank account now, as he contributed the remaining Rs. 2 lakh to CMDRF for the vaccine challenge. Janardhanan is being showered with appreciations for his gesture.
Janardhanan, a resident of Kuruva in Kannur city, has been into beedi making right from his youth and worked for nearly four decades in Kerala Dinesh Beedi, a workers' cooperative. His wife died last year following illness and two children are settled.
It was Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's assurance that the Kerala government would provide Covid-19 vaccine to all free of cost that prompted Janardhanan, who is a staunch CPM supporter, to contribute his entire savings for the #VaccineChallenge.
Meanwhile, an artiste turned police official involved in creating sketches of wanted persons in cases, has offered sketches to those who contribute Rs. 800 as the cost of two vaccines.
P P Rajesh of Manimala in Kottayam district had made similar offers for pooling funds to the CMDRF during the floods. Rajesh, who is working as an assistant sub-inspector, has already drawn over 50 sketches and many are still pending.
The #VaccineChallenge was initiated by some social media groups and the CPM backed it. The contributions crossed Rs. 2 crore in two days.