Sonu Sood Meets Abhijot Singh, Boy With Kidney Disorder, After NDTV Campaign

Bollywood actor Sonu Sood on Sunday met in Punjab an eight-year-old boy with a kidney ailment, whom he and Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann have promised to help financially after an NDTV campaign.

The boy, Abhijot Singh, suffers from a kidney disorder called Nephrotic Syndrome and needs to visit the PGIMER hospital in Chandigarh approximately every two months for treatment. Each trip to the city, which is roughly 250 km away from his Talwandi Rai Dadu village in Ajnala block of Amritsar district, and the treatment cost roughly Rs 45,000. 

Singh's family lost their only source of income after their farm was submerged and the crops were destroyed in the floods this monsoon season.

"I am glad Abhijot will get the medical help he needs. I am flying to Punjab tomorrow. I will also be visiting his family," Mr Sood told NDTV on Saturday, adding, " I want to reach out to as many people as I can and make sure that they get back to their livelihoods".

"There will be many Abhijots in many villages. So we need to identify those in need of assistance," he added. 

Mr Sood, who is known for his philanthropy, also highlighted the need to remain in constant touch with those who need assistance. "It's important to have that personal touch. When you reach out to a family and you meet them, then you get to know the real problem... So when you reach out to these villages and meet 100 families, you might be able to change the lives of only 20 people, but the rest of the 80 will also have some hope, as they will know that someone came there in their difficult times. It's important to hold their hand and tell them that no matter what, we will make it happen," he said. 

While reporting from the ground on the devastating floods in Punjab that has so far claimed over 45 lives, NDTV highlighted the plight of Singh and his family. Singh needs treatment till he turns 18, with doctors saying there is hope he can live a full life. 

NDTV launched the campaign on Thursday evening and on Friday afternoon, Chief Minister Mann said every possible assistance would be provided to the boy's family, and that no one in the state would be deprived of treatment or medicines.

"A video has come to light about 8-year-old child Abhijot Singh, a resident of village Talwandi in Sri Amritsar Sahib, who is suffering from kidney disease. The government will provide every possible assistance to the family for the child's treatment. We will not let any person in the state be deprived of treatment or medicines," he wrote in a post on X. 

If you can also contribute and help the family, here are the account details:

Bank name: Punjab National Bank

Account holder's name: Jasbir Singh

Account number: 1440000101261042

Account Type: Savings Account

IFSC Code: PUNB0144000