Salman does it for the kids

By: Upula KBR, Mid-Day
Wednesday, July 04, 2007
Even though he's been confined to his home with fever, the actor made time to attend an event organised for street children. Salman Khan may be the bad boy of Bollywood, but where charity is concerned his heart certainly seems to be in the right place. On Monday evening, the actor attended a charity event organised by luggage company American Tourister, in spite of suffering from high fever and having been confined to his home for all of last week.

Keen interest

The NGO, Aseema, along with Rakshanda Khan's Celebrity Locker, designer Anita Dongre and model Shamita Singha, held an exhibition to raise funds for underprivileged children. Aseema provides education for street children and has adopted the Bandra Pali Chimbai Municipal School, with plans to add more schools. They also have a rural project in Igatpuri for tribal children.

Says a source present at the event, "Salman was the first buyer at the event. He spoke to the children who had made the paintings, took personal interest in each and everything that was on display and bought thousands of rupees worth of stuff."

Dilbar Parakh, chairperson of Aseema, informs, "Salman has been extremely involved in the work we've been doing for the last couple of years. He has bought many paintings in the past (priced between Rs 1,500-8,500).

At Monday's event, we had put up different products like bags and scarves designed by Anita Dongre, coffee tables, trays and paintings. Salman bought the Samsonite bags with the children's artwork on it, some coffee tables, trays and scarves."

Warm gesture

Dilbar adds that Salman is one celebrity they can always count on for help. "I understand he has been very ill for the past few days, so it was gracious of him to make it for the event. He was warm and friendly and his sister Alvira also promised that she would teach yoga to the kids at our school," she says.

Dilbar adds that the international advertising agency TBWA has helped set up a beautiful art studio called the Aseema Room 13 Art Studio at Bandra. "Room 13 is an international movement in Scotland and supplies good quality art material to the children. Through TBWA, Samsonite commissioned our children's illustrations for American Tourister luggage. Two of these illustrations were selected by Samsonite, and Salman bought those bags."