Hyderabad, March 24 (IANS) Indian tennis star Sania Mirza has stepped forward to raise money to provide food and other basic necessities for the daily wage workers during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, which has so far claimed more than 16,000 lives across the world.

A lockdown has been imposed in almost the entire country with an aim to stop the spread of novel coronavirus, which has infected more than 500 people and claimed 10 lives so far.

Due to the lockdown and curfews, the informal sector has been badly affected and those who depend on daily wages are struggling to provide their families.

Sania has shared a video on her social networks supporting the Safa organisation and pledged to donate and asked people to make a contribution for the workers during this tough time.

"In this difficult time that the world is going through, we are privileged to be able to sit at home, in comfort and wait for everything to be ok again... there are thousands of people who aren't that lucky enough and it's our responsibility to take care of them in whatever capacity we can," said Sania.

"Together with Safa and a few other people we hope to help as many families as possible in this difficult time and make a little bit of a difference," she added.

Earlier, star wrestler Bajrang Punia also donated his six month's salary to Haryana's COVID-19 relief fund.
Former India opener and BJP lawmaker Gautam Gambhir has also offered to release Rs 50 lakh from his Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS) fund for the equipment to treat coronavirus patients in Delhi government hospitals.

--IANS aak