Udupi (Karnataka): Ravi Katpadi, who is popular for appearing in different avatars during Sri Krishna Janmashtami, and raised several lakhs of rupees for poor children this year. Recently, he donned the avatar of Hollywood character 'Dark One Elite' to add to his various get-ups.
Udupi, a coastal district in Karnataka, is known for celebrating Sri Krishna Janmashtami with pomp and grandeur. Every year, on the day of Sri Krishna Janmashtami, several people don various guises and walk around the city, participate in processions and collect money from locals. Ravi, hailing from Katpadi in Udupi, has however been using the occasion to raise money and help underprivileged children. In the last six years, he has raised a whopping Rs 72 lakh to help 33 children.
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"This year, with the help of my friends, I gathered Rs 40 lakh to help four children. One is a two-year-old who needs Rs 40 lakh for treatment and another one needs to undergo surgery after having met with an accident. The third is a 10-year-old boy suffering from blood cancer and fourth is a 16-year-old boy ailing from some health issues," Ravi said.
The Udupi district administration has banned such processions since last year due to COVID-19. However, the district deputy commissioner treating Ravi as a special case, facilitated his novel initiative in the last two years.
Due to acute poverty, Ravi could study only upto Class IX. He soon began working as a daily wager. Ravi has lost both his parents and currently lives with his brother and sister-in-law. Around six years ago, he heard about a story of a one-month-old baby, whose hand became dysfunctional due to doctor’s negligence. As her parents could not afford the surgery, Ravi took the onus on himself and decided to take the path less taken.
Ravi also participated in popular Hindi TV reality show Kaun Banega Crorepati Season-12 and earned Rs 8 lakh. He donated the entire sum to poor children.
