Farhan Akhtar donates phones to those affected by Uttarakhand flash floods

Away from the media glare, Farhan Akhtar has quietly helped people in distress on several occasions. This time too, Divyanshu Upadhyay — who is associated with the Gurugram-based not-for-profit organisation Bharat Disaster Relief Foundation (BDRF) and has worked with Akhtar on different causes — reached out to him after the cloudburst-induced flash floods in Uttarakhand earlier this month left many families displaced. mid-day has learnt that the filmmaker and actor immediately lent a helping hand by sending 50 phones to the affected families in Harsil and Dharali.    

Since the tragedy, the BDRF has been helping those affected by distributing rations and mattresses. Amid this, Upadhyay contacted Akhtar, requesting him for phones as many people could not establish contact with their near and dear ones. A source reveals, “Divyanshu messaged Farhan on August 10, and soon, the actor sent 50 multimedia phones, each worth Rs 7000. The phones came in handy as people had lost touch with their families as well as relatives. It helped them re-establish connection and let each other know of their condition. The BDRF had earlier distributed food, blankets, and mattresses.”

The source says that the phones were a necessary step to rebuild hope in such times. A volunteer, who distributed the phones and has been part of the team working on ground since August 7, shares, “As they reconnected with their loved ones after being cut off for days, people felt not only a sense of relief but also less isolated. One could see the comfort it brought them as they reassured their families and extended families that they were okay. With several properties completely destroyed, many have been living in dharamshalas over the past few weeks and were struggling to touch base with families or relatives.”