Table of Contents
- Quick Summary
- How Much Did Virat Kohli Donate For COVID-19?
- Which Organisations And Foundations Were Linked To Virat Kohli’s COVID Relief?
- How Does Virat Kohli’s COVID Donation History Compare With Other Cricketers’ Contributions?
- What Does The Campaign Show About Crowdfunding?
- Conclusion
- Frequently Asked Questions
Quick Summary
- What was Virat Kohli donation contribution for COVID-19? Yes. Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma supported COVID-19 relief in 2020 and 2021, including ₹2 crore (20 million rupees) to their #InThisTogether fundraiser.
- 2020: They pledged support to the PM-CARES Fund and the Maharashtra CM Relief Fund (amount not publicly stated) and donated ₹5 lakh each to Mumbai Police welfare.
- In 2021, they launched the #InThisTogether fundraiser with an initial ₹7 crore target.
- 2021: They launched #InThisTogether on Ketto with an initial target of ₹7 crore. It raised ₹11,39,11,820, with ACT Grants as the implementation partner.
- The amount of their 2020 pledge was not publicly stated.
How Much Did Virat Kohli Donate For COVID-19?
Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma made several donation contributions during the Covid pandemic, with the amounts publicly documented differently across the two years.
On March 30, 2020, they pledged support to the PM-CARES Fund and the Maharashtra Chief Minister’s Relief Fund without stating an amount.
In May 2020, the couple donated ₹5 lakh each towards the welfare of Mumbai Police personnel. Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh acknowledged the contribution under the #MumbaiPoliceFoundation initiative.
Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma pledged an undisclosed amount in March 2020, donated ₹5 lakh each (₹10 lakh combined) to Mumbai Police welfare in May 2020, and contributed ₹2 crore to their May 2021 #InThisTogether fundraiser, which raised ₹11.39 crore in total.
The total campaign amount therefore included the couple’s contribution as well as money from other donors.
ACT Grants served as the implementation partner. Its pandemic-related work included oxygen supply, medical manpower, vaccination awareness, and telemedicine.
Which Organisations And Foundations Were Linked To Virat Kohli’s COVID Relief?
Several organisations were involved in Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma’s COVID-19 relief, in different roles. Ketto hosted their 2021 fundraiser, ACT Grants was the implementation partner, and MPL Sports Foundation made the largest single contribution to it. Their 2020 support went to PM-CARES, the Maharashtra CM Relief Fund and Mumbai Police welfare.
Different organisations were involved in the couple’s COVID-19 relief efforts in different capacities:
PM-CARES Fund And Maharashtra CM Relief Fund
These were the two funds named when Kohli and Sharma announced their COVID-19 support in March 2020. The amount was not publicly stated.
Mumbai Police Foundation
The couple’s May 2020 contribution of ₹5 lakh each was made towards the welfare of Mumbai Police personnel and acknowledged under the #MumbaiPoliceFoundation initiative.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (formerly Royal Challengers Bangalore)
Kohli said RCB would provide financial assistance towards healthcare infrastructure related to oxygen support during India’s second COVID-19 wave. This was separate from his and Sharma’s personal fundraising campaign.
Virat Kohli Foundation
Reports on Kohli and Sharma’s main COVID-19 contributions do not identify the Virat Kohli Foundation as the donation channel.
How Does Virat Kohli’s COVID Donation History Compare With Other Cricketers’ Contributions?
Among reported figures, Kohli and Anushka Sharma’s ₹2 crore contribution to #InThisTogether (2021) is the largest disclosed cash amount in this comparison. It was a joint contribution, and their 2020 pledge was never quantified. Rohit Sharma’s ₹80 lakh is the largest disclosed individual amount. Because the contributions differ in form, year and recipient, the figures are not directly equivalent.
| Cricketer | Year | Reported Contribution (per media reports) | Relief Supported |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virat Kohli & Anushka Sharma | 2020, 2021 | 2020: undisclosed pledge plus ₹10 lakh (₹5 lakh each) to Mumbai Police welfare; 2021: ₹2 crore | PM-CARES, Maharashtra CM Relief Fund, Mumbai Police welfare, #InThisTogether |
| Rohit Sharma | 2020 | ₹80 lakh | PM-CARES, Maharashtra CM Relief Fund, Feeding India, Welfare of Stray Dogs |
| Suresh Raina | 2020 | ₹52 lakh | PM-CARES, Uttar Pradesh CM Disaster Relief Fund |
| Sachin Tendulkar | 2020 | ₹50 lakh | PM’s Relief Fund, Maharashtra CM Relief Fund |
| Sourav Ganguly | 2020 | Rice worth ₹50 lakh | Food assistance during lockdown |
| MS Dhoni | 2021 | ₹1 lakh | Mukul Madhav Foundation campaign on Ketto |
Kohli and Sharma are counted here as a couple, while the other figures are for individual cricketers.
Rohit Sharma’s reported ₹80 lakh included ₹45 lakh for PM-CARES, ₹25 lakh for the Maharashtra CM Relief Fund, and ₹5 lakh each for Feeding India and the Welfare of Stray Dogs.
Suresh Raina’s reported ₹52 lakh was divided between PM-CARES and the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister’s Disaster Relief Fund. Sachin Tendulkar was reported to have donated ₹50 lakh across the PM’s Relief Fund and Maharashtra CM Relief Fund.
Sourav Ganguly’s contribution was reported as rice worth ₹50 lakh rather than a cash donation. MS Dhoni’s reported ₹1 lakh went to a Mukul Madhav Foundation campaign on Ketto, which the foundation confirmed receiving.
Because these contributions took different forms, the figures are not directly equivalent.
What Does The Campaign Show About Crowdfunding?
The #InThisTogether campaign combined a personal contribution from Kohli and Sharma with donations from the public through a crowdfunding platform. The same model is used in India for medical emergencies, where families raise funds from a wider network. Platforms such as ImpactGuru support medical fundraisers for treatment costs.
Conclusion
Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma’s COVID-19 giving includes an undisclosed 2020 pledge to PM-CARES and the Maharashtra CM Relief Fund, ₹5 lakh each (₹10 lakh combined) towards Mumbai Police welfare, and ₹2 crore to the 2021 #InThisTogether campaign. The campaign raised ₹11.39 crore overall, with Ketto hosting it and ACT Grants as implementation partner. Among reported cricketer contributions, their ₹2 crore is the largest disclosed cash amount, though it was a joint contribution.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma supported COVID-19 relief in 2020 and 2021 through contributions to relief efforts, Mumbai Police welfare, and their #InThisTogether fundraising campaign.
The amount of Kohli and Anushka Sharma’s 2020 pledge to PM-CARES and the Maharashtra Chief Minister’s Relief Fund was not publicly stated. In 2021, the couple contributed ₹2 crore to their #InThisTogether COVID-19 fundraiser.
The #InThisTogether COVID-19 fundraiser raised ₹11,39,11,820 against its initial target of ₹7 crore. The couple’s own contribution was ₹2 crore.
The #InThisTogether campaign was a COVID-19 fundraising initiative launched by Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma in May 2021. It was created to raise funds for COVID-19 relief in India.
Ketto hosted Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma’s #InThisTogether COVID-19 fundraiser, allowing members of the public to contribute to the campaign.
Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma announced a pledge of support to the PM-CARES Fund in March 2020. They also pledged support to the Maharashtra Chief Minister’s Relief Fund, but did not publicly state the amount.
