Royal Challengers Bangalore's parent company Diageo pledges Rs 45 crore for fighting COVID-19 in India, offer

Bengaluru, May 24: Chipping in the country's fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, the Royal Challengers Bangalore, through its parent company Diageo, on Monday (May 24) has pledged Rs 45 crore to augment public healthcare infrastructure in one district in each state and Union Territory of India.

The Royal Challengers Bangalore, which is led by India skipper Virat Kohli in the IPL, detailed their approach through their official Twitter handle.

"We will set up Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) Oxygen Plants in Government Hospitals in 21 districts to create long-term Oxygen capacity. Along with it, the RCB will provide fully equipped, pre-fabricated 16-bed mini-hospital units with PSA Oxygen Plants in another 15 critical districts to increase bed capacity.

"Further the RCB will donate medical equipment including Oxygen concentrators, Oxygen cylinders, ventilators beds and other critical patient care devices to hospitals across 10 states to address immediate needs," said the Diageo/RCB management in a statement.

Anand Kripalu, MD, Diageo and Chairman of the RCB, said: At a time when the country is facing an unprecedented humanitarian crisis, we want to support the government's efforts and stand by the citizens of India. Long term medical infrastructure especially hospital beds and self-sufficiency in Oxygen are what is needed most and we hope our contribution will go into every state and it will help play a part in India's recovery."

The BCCI on May 4 had announced that the IPL 2021 was postponed in the wake of a grim second wave of the Coronavirus pandemic that has been ravaging the country.