Fight against COVID-19: Satya Nadella's wife donates Rs 2 crore to Telangana

People from various walks of life are coming forward to help the Telangana and Andhra Pradesh governments deal with the Covid-19 outbreak.

On Tuesday, Anupama Venugopal Nadella, wife of Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, donated Rs two crore for the Telangana Chief Minister relief fund (CMRF). Government employees and teachers have donated a day’s basic salary amounting to Rs 48 crore to the CM

While the two Telugu states are reporting COVID-19 cases, Telangana in particular is reeling under continuous reporting of COVID-19 positive cases, which as on Tuesday evening stood at 36.

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According to Chief Minister Chandrasekhar Rao another 114 suspected cases are under observation.

While most of the Tollywood or the Telugu film industry personalities are playing their part, bringing out the COVID-19 awareness videos, actor Nitin has started the monetary contributions.

Nitin met Rao at Pragathi Bhavan, the CM’s office cum residence, on Tuesday and handed over a cheque of Rs 10 lakh. Nitin has pledged another Rs 10 lakh for AP.

Anupama Venugopal Nadella’s cheque of Rs two crore was handed over to Rao by her father and former IAS KR Venugopal.

Telangana’s lone BJP MLA Raja Singh, known for his provocative Hindutva speeches, has pledged to donate his two months salary of about Rs five lakh to the CMRF.  

Several TRS legislators like Tandur MLA Rohit Reddy donated their one month’s salary of Rs 2.50 lakh for CMRF. Telangana Panchayat Raj Teachers’ union has also announced a donation of Rs 16 Crore.

A Telangana CMO official said that these contributions would be used under government initiatives to help the poor with supply of essential commodities during the lockdown period imposed to curtail the spread of COVID-19 in the state.

In Andhra Pradesh, the Telugu Desam Party MLAs and MLCs have announced a donation of their one-month salary each to the AP Chief Minister's Relief Fund (CMRF). Besides, TDP chief and opposition leader Chandrababu Naidu has announced Rs 10 lakh on his and his family’s behalf.  Naidu called upon the people to generously contribute to the governments as part of their support to the cause of fighting the deadly virus.

Some Parliamentarians like BJP's Telangana chief Bandi Sanjay and TDP MP Ram Mohan Naidu in Andhra have announced funds under MPLADS for the virus fighting cause.