Quantcast

Kohli shows his charitable side in Pune

Superstar batsman takes time out of his busy IPL schedule to pay a special visit in Pune

Virat Kohli's image is one that's brash and bold, one of a hugely talented young man with tattoos, perfectly styled hair, flashy cars and a glamorous lifestyle. 

But on Thursday, the superstar batman showed another side - a generous and humble one - when he departed Mumbai ahead of his Royal Challengers Bangalore teammates specifically to visit the patients of the Abhalmaya Old Age Home in Pune.

Run solely by Dr Aparna Deshmukh, the facility cares for those who have been abandoned by their families or whose relatives cannot bear the cost of other privately run aged-care facilities or hospitals.

Quick single: Marsh on a mission to repay the faith

After visiting each of the centre's 54 occupants personally, Kohli said he had been touched by the experience.

"It is very disturbing as well as eye opening to see people abandoning their own families. I cannot think of anything worst than to have been left by your own people at this age," he said.

"It is so hard to to digest, it is simply nothing if you compare it to loss in a cricket game.

"Everyone praises us as cricketers but the support staff who are loving and caring that deserve credit in our society. 

"Some of them who I spoke to were is such great spirits and it is wonderful lesson for me in life."

Image Id: ~/media/87945F782B9B4493A75AA1CD30D9FF2B Image Caption: Kohli paid a special visit to those living at the Abhalmaya Old Age Home 

Kohli, who was full of praise for 31-year-old surgeon Dr Deshumkh, said his own charity, the Virat Kohli Foundation, would support the running of the facility for the remainder of the year.

"Many say I make people happy when I score runs but this is nothing compared to what Dr Aparna is doing for these people."

Image Id: ~/media/8A69E289C1A44F93BF0D428F74A32B20