New Delhi: With several challenges going viral on social media, most of them frivolous and dangerous, one celebrity decided to make a productive challenge for his fellow netizens.
Actor Siddharth, who has worked in Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, and Malayalam language films, challenged his 4 million followers on Twitter via the #KeralaDonationChallenge to contribute to the Chief Minister’s Distress Relief Fund (Govt of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram) to help with the relief efforts being undertaken in Kerala.
Kerala has been reeling under heavy rains and floods which has wreaked havoc all across the state. Hundreds of people have lost their lives and many more have been rendered homeless.
In his now viral tweet posted on August 17, the actor said: “I dare you. I beg of you! What do I have to do to make you read and share this? I did the #KeralaDonationChallenge. It was awesome! Will you? Please?” This tweet was accompanied by an image of the transfer he made to the Chief Minister’s Distress Relief Fund along with a letter pleading with the people to help.
I dare you. I beg of you!
What do I have to do to make you read and share this?
I did the #KeralaDonationChallenge
It was awesome!
Will you? Please?#KeralaFloods#SaveKerala@CMOKerala pic.twitter.com/9RmMjSKVBC
— Siddharth (@Actor_Siddharth) August 16, 2018
His tweet gained traction very fast and people soon began to participate in the challenge. They posted photos and screenshots of receipts of donations made by them. The even tagged their friends and family to participate in the challenge.
Actor Varun Dhawan followed Siddharth’s example and tweeted a cry for people to help Kerala saying: “If you can help please contribute in anyway possible. I was finding how to help out and @Actor_Siddharth tweet helped me find out about the @CMOKerala relief fund.”
Meanwhile, many other states have pledged to donate huge sums of money to the devastated state.
The Kerala government, various organisations and individuals continue to use Twitter and other social media platforms to coordinate the rescue and relief efforts.
