Madhur
Bhandarkar
is
not
unaware
about
the
plight
of
farmers,
especially
in
Maharashtra,
who
have
been
committing
suicide
over
the
years
due
to
their
inability
to
pay
back
loans.
Touched
by
innumerous
such
instances
which
have
been
making
headlines
over
the
years,
he
has
decided
to
do
his
bit
for
this
cause.
He
would
be
donating
Rs.2.5
lakhs
which
he
would
receive
along
with
his
National
Award
as
a
Best
Director
for
Traffic
Signal
this
week.
"Yes,
what
you
have
heard
it
right",
confirms
Madhur
Bhandarkar
who
would
be
visiting
New
Delhi
this
week
to
be
felicitated
by
the
President
of
India
in
the
National
Awards
ceremony.
"I
am
aware
about
the
problems
being
faced
by
the
farmers
and
the
way
they
have
suffered
all
these
years.
I
had
always
wished
to
do
my
own
bit
for
this
and
since
this
is
a
noble
cause,
I
decided
to
donate
the
prize
money
to
three
such
families",
says
Madhur.
The
money
would
be
distributed
amongst
three
ladies
namely
Kamal
Waghmare,
Sangeeta
Prakash
Darne
and
Sugandha
Kannake.
Each
of
them
has
a
sorrowful
tale
to
tell.
Kamal
Waghmare
is
the
wife
of
Late
Kashinath
Dagdu
who
committed
suicide
on
1st
of
March
even
after
the
loan
waiver
was
announced
in
the
general
budget.
He
had
a
loan
of
Rs.10000
and
now
his
wife
along
with
children
live
in
acute
poverty
in
Buldhana.
Belonging
to
Yavatmal,
Sangeeta
Prakash
Darne
is
the
wife
of
Prakash
Darne
who
committed
suicide
on
28th
June
last
year.
He
had
a
loan
of
Rs.56000
and
has
now
left
behind
two
daughters
(one
of
them
being
visually
impaired)
and
a
son.
Sugandha
Kannake,
again
belonging
to
Yavatmal,
is
the
wife
of
Shamrao
Kannake
who
committed
suicide
on
17th
Feb
2007.
With
a
loan
of
Rs.16200
on
him,
he
committed
suicide
on
the
same
day
as
his
father.
"These
stories
deeply
touched
me",
says
Madhur
in
a
soft
tone,
"Farmers
have
suffered
so
much
and
what
I
am
doing
is
just
a
small
gesture
from
me.
Though
none
of
the
three
women
are
currently
aware
that
they
would
be
receiving
this
money,
I
would
be
personally
going
to
Nagpur
on
5th
September
to
hand
it
over
to
them".
Story first published: Tuesday, September 2, 2008, 11:47 [IST]