Acts of altruism might not (and perhaps shouldn’t essentially) mean a whole lot for celebrities or public figures from various walks of life, but it surely does add value to the life of the beneficiaries.
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Three-time World Cup winner Adam Gilchrist will be remembered by the Cricketing fraternity till the sport exists, but not many would have been versed with the connection that he had with India, where he decided to help a poor boy from Mumbai by sponsoring his entire education expenses.
The following story has been taken from the profile of Amit Sinha, a popular Twitter user with the username @RandomCricketP1, who is followed by quite a few notable journalists of the sport or otherwise.
The legendary wicket-keeper batter’s decision was perhaps influenced by a certain Gregory David Roberts, who had escaped from a prison in Australia within two years, after being handed 19 years of sentence for an attempt to rob a bank.
The man then escaped to the slums of Mumbai, and started working for the betterment of the city’s poor dwellers by providing them with better health coverage over the course of time. Robert penned down the Mumbai chapter of his life via a novel named ‘Shantaram’, which happens to be a name given by his friend’s mother in the city.
When $380 million net worth Adam Gilchrist sponsored education of a poor Indian child
During Australia’s tour of India to partake in the Champions Trophy 2006, Adam Gilchrist, hooked up by Shantaram’s story, somehow managed to meet the man himself and later joined hands with an NGO ‘World Vision India’ as a brand ambassador.
The Southpaw batter decided to make a significant contribution to the life of a seven-year-old boy named Mangesh, by sponsoring his education. Mangesh’s mother was a house help, while his father had passed away after succumbing to Tuberculosis.
With Mangesh’s life back on track, Gilchrist only met him again five years later in 2011 during the IPL, when he was part of the Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings) squad.
Gilchrist later admitted to not only have forged a special connection with India, but also how his decision to help Mangesh, has had a positive effect on his children too, who were always keen to know more about the boy and his school.
“I get very excited whenever we are at home and receive the various correspondences that come our way. My children are always keen to see the pictures of Mangesh, his school and his various activities. They definitely encourage my children,” exclaimed Gilchrist back in 2011.
