Actor
Sonu
Sood,
who
turned
philanthropist
during
the
pandemic
lockdown
on
Wednesday
(October
13),
won
the
'CNN-News18
Indian
of
the
Year
2022'
award
in
the
'Special
Achievement'
category.
He
was
honoured
for
helping
out
people
in
need
with
money,
travel
and
food
during
the
nationwide
Covid
restricted
lockdown.
While
receiving
the
award,
Sonu
said,
"I
don't
know
if
I
really
deserve
this.
But
it's
an
honour
to
be
receiving
this
award
from
Gadkari
ji
(Union
minister
Nitin
Gadkari)
as
we
both
have
the
Nagpur
connection.
I
did
my
engineering
from
there.
I
miss
my
parents." The
actor
received
his
award
from
the
Union
minister
for
road,
transport,
and
highways,
Nitin
Gadkari.
"My
mother
used
to
say
"tu
muthi
khol
ke
dekh,
shayad
tere
haatho
ke
lakeero
pe
kisi
ki
jaan
bachane
ka
mauka
hai".
I
feel
that
I
am
playing
the
most
important
role
of
my
life,
where
the
almighty
is
the
director.
I
wish
and
pray
this
movie
doesn't
end," he
added.
The
48-year-old
further
said
that
he
found
himself
in
the
past
two-and-a-half
years
when
he
made
connections
with
millions
of
unknown
people
and
received
their
blessings.
"No
amount
of
Rs
100-Rs
200
crore
films
can
give
that
kind
of
happiness
that
connecting
with
unknown
souls
and
bringing
smile
on
their
faces
does," he
said.
"I
never
knew
anything
about
how
to
send
people
back
to
their
homes.
When
I
helped
the
first
group
of
people,
I
thought
my
job
is
done.
But
then
I
thought
this
is
not
the
story
of
just
350
people,
but
of
millions
of
migrants
who
were
stuck,"
CNBC
TV18
quoted
the
actor.
Sood
launched
a
nationwide
helpline
during
the
pandemic
to
help
migrants
reach
their
homes
and
has
pledged
to
keep
assisting
those
in
need.
Highlighting
the
good
service
Sonu
Sood
has
given
to
society,
Nitin
Gadkari
said
the
true
meaning
of
politics
is
selfless
social
service,
which
the
actor
is
doing.
"In
the
concept
of
Mahatma
Gandhi,
the
true
meaning
of
politics
is
social
service.
When
I
was
the
president
of
the
BJP,
I
requested
all
MLAs
and
MPs
to
have
a
project
in
social
work.
What
Sonu
is
doing
is
national
service,"
Gadkari
said
as
he
lauded
the
actor.