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hey do not just play
cricket. They too are into philanthropic activities as their famous brethren elsewhere. Meet Padutirupathi Cricketers, a group of
young cricket enthusiasts of Gowda Saraswat Brahmin community. This Karkala-based troupe, besides cricket,
has extended a helping hand to the needy on many occasions.
The lockdown in the
wake of Covid – 19 is another occasion for the local GSB youngsters to serve
the society. They provide food to the medicos,
paramedics, officials and workers whose service is essential to combat the
ruthless spread of the novel Corona virus. Besides, patients in hospitals, their
attendants, stranded homeless labourers and the poor too are on their food-supply
radar. Though the prevalence of Covid
-19 cases is relatively low in Udupi district, no stone is left unturned in
diagnosing and nipping the spread of the disease at the outset.
The hardship of the
personnel at a checkpost to get some food and water propelled a few members,
mostly businessmen, in the group to rise to the occasion. They started
providing food to them from the day 4 of the first phase of the lockdown. What
started as a small gesture has, today, grown into an efficient network, supplying
lunch packs to as many as 500 people in and around Karkala. The Police, government
hospital, nursing homes, health workers, staff at various government offices, patients
and quarantined people are the beneficiaries of their benevolence. “Our
purpose is to keep the people indoors and stay put at their locations, instead
of coming out looking for food,” says Prakash Pai, a member.
The vegetarian lunch
comprises rice, sambar, palya, pickle
and butter milk. Sometimes payasa and
other delicious items are included upon request by the sponsors. Padutirupathi Cricketers dispatches about
150-200 breakfast packets. The menu varies with items like Idli-chutney,
Puliyogare, Buns and Upma-avalakki on different days. The team also provides
dinner to the inmates at the quarantine facility. In addition fruits are offered to patients
sometimes.
“Their service is a
godsend to the staff, patients and those who accompany them. Our special
requests for toddlers too have been promptly met without any delay,” opine in
unison K V Padmavathi and Nayana Jayanth, staff nurses at the government
hospital. “Even the people at the quarantine facility too are happy to have
variety of good food,” adds Nayana.
In all 30-40 members
of Padutirupathi Cricketers involve themselves in the task. They cook, pack and carry them to the
respective locations in their own two-wheelers and four wheelers. Govindaraya Pai, a member, has offered the
premises of his home for the purpose. The volunteers abide by the lockdown
guidelines by maintaining physical distance, wearing mask etc. at every step of
this food supply chain. The youth slog
from seven in the morning until around 4 O’clock in the evening.
“The daily expenses
of the hygienic and healthy GSB food may come upto Rs 10,000,” says Vittaladas
Shenoy, president of Padutirupathi Cricketers.
The labour of each member, of course, is not counted. Their valuable
service is priceless. Looking at the
zealous and selfless service of the team, many have come forward with donations.
Offers come in the form of cash and kind.
Now many other organizations too have joined hands. The burden now is shared,
if not equally. True, no good work hits a road block owing to paucity of funds.
Considering the
clean kitchen as well as hygienic and healthy food, the administration too did
not have a second thought in giving the go ahead. Now it is mightily impressed with the committment
of Padutirupathi Cricketers. Tahsildar
of Karkala Purandara Hegde profusely thanks the youngsters for their noble
gesture in this hour crisis. “Their
generosity to provide food to all who are nowhere to turn to during the ongoing
lockdown period is commendable,” says the Tahsildar.
The troupe indeed has
turned itself into a troop in the war against the Corona virus.
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