Akshay Kumar's tribute to Armed Forces on eve of Republic Day deserves applause

Akshay Kumar posted a video on his Twitter account on Tuesday, sharing details of what will be a very interesting and selfless endeavour by the actor. The Jolly LLB 2 actor revealed that he plans to start a website to collect funds to offer financial aid to the families of martyrs of the armed forces. 

Speaking to his fans on the eve of India's 68th Republic Day, Kumar began by thanking fans for their response to his earlier video speaking against the mass molestation in Bengaluru on New Year's Eve. While the actor appreciated the response, he maintained that he was a 'reel hero' while the 'real heroes' were the men and women in the Armed Forces. 

Asking fans to contribute more productively, Kumar revealed that he plans to launch a website that will enable fans to contribute directly to the financial aid of martyrs and soldiers of the Indian Armed Forces. According to Kumar, the website will upload information on how to transfer money to these families through banking accounts, and will ensure a cut off for Rs15 lakh to each family. The actor said, "If 15,000 people contribute Rs100, they can help the children, families of these soldiers. Even in a rock concert, lakhs of people attend having paid Rs1,000 and more for the tickets." 

The effort, sincere and much needed as it is, arrives in the wake of recent internet videos by soldiers at the front describing the difficult situations in which they function. Considering the recent response to Kumar's videos, and his growing reputation through films like Special 26 (2013) and Airlift (2016), it might just be the boost the Indian armed forces need.