In a heart-warming display of compassion and dedication, a 13-year-old girl from Tamil Nadu, Harini Sri, performed Bharatnatyam continuously for three hours to raise funds for those affected by the devastating landslides in Kerala’s Wayanad district.
Harini’s efforts culminated in a meeting with Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, where she donated Rs 15,000, including her personal savings, to the Chief Minister’s Distress Relief Fund or CMDRF on Thursday. The young dancer also shared a recording of her performance with the Chief Minister, who praised her commitment and blessed her for her noble gesture.
The Kerala Government’s Information and Public Relations Department highlighted her efforts on social media, posting, “A 13-year-old girl child from Tamil Nadu, Harini Sri, performed Bharatanatyam for three hours straight to raise funds for Wayanad landslide to stand with Wayanad. She donated Rs 15,000, including her savings, to CMDRF.”
Harini’s initiative is part of a broader community response to the disaster, with various crowd funding efforts and events in Tamil Nadu aimed at supporting the victims of the landslides. On July 30, heavy rains triggered landslides in Wayanad’s Mundakkai and Chooralmala areas, resulting in the destruction of homes and the tragic loss of 417 lives so far.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to visit Wayanad on August 10, following calls from Opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, to declare the landslides a national disaster. Such a declaration would pave the way for additional funds and resources for relief and rehabilitation efforts.
In a press conference on Friday, CM Vijayan reiterated the State’s appeal to the Central Government to declare the landslides a national disaster. He mentioned that the Union Home Ministry has already formed a nine-member committee to assess the extent of the damage and provide a detailed report.
Vijayan expressed optimism that the Central Government would extend its support with a comprehensive rehabilitation package, hoping that PM Modi would make a favourable decision during his upcoming visit.
