President of India – Dr. Abdul Kalam inaugurated the new facility of Chiranjeevi Charitable Foundation at Jubilee Hills Check post today evening. Abdul Kalam also released the first vision document of CCF (Chiranjeevi Charitable Foundarion).

We are aiming at 1 lakh blood units by end of 2007 – Allu Arvind
Speaking on the occasion Allu Arvind - Managing Trustee of CCF – said, “Chiranjeevi launched his Charitable Trust on 2nd October 1998 with a mission to bridge the gap between demand and supply of blood in AP. Chiranjeevi promoted the awareness of blood donation very aggressively with the help of his fans. Each film of him also has clippings of Chiranjeevi’s message about blood and eye donation. In 1997, the demand for blood units in AP was around 1,50,000 and the supply was only 50,000 which was 33%. With the initiative taken by Chiranjeevi in spreading the awareness of blood donation, the demand-supply gap is minimized to 65% now. Naga Babu contributed a lot towards the trust and Fans president Swamy Naidu has been with CCT since the inception. We also provided 5000 onsite blood donors on behalf of CCT. CCT has provided 67,000 units of blood so far and our mission is to complete 1 lakh units by the end of year 2007. Around 3 and half lakh of people pledged their eyes to CCT so far. 1600 people got eye sight because of CCT. KP Reddy (Maxi Vision) and Prasad Eye Institute are with us in eye donation program. CCT also won ‘Best Voluntary Blood Bank Award’ by the AP State Government for the past 3 consecutive years. We are very thankful to His Excellency Dr. Abdul Kalam for gracing this facility.”

It is like Rudraveena climax happening in real - Chiranjeevi
Chiranjeevi - President and director of CCF – said, “Today is a wonderful day in my life because our president Dr. Abdul Kalam visited this facility. I did a film titled Rudra Veena in the past. In the climax of the film the prime mister of India visits AP to felicitate a common man for his service towards society. I opined that it was too cinematic and asked director K Balachandar if he can change it. But K Balachandar stuck to it. Today I realized that K Balachandar was right when our President of India visited this facility. I started blood bank after realizing how people are dying due to lack of blood donors. I though that we should do something about it instead of waiting for leaders to do it. I motivated my fans to come forward and participate in this noble deed. Government of AP liked honesty in our work and vision and cooperated with us. CCT won the ‘Best Voluntary Blood Bank’ award for the past three consecutive years. Allu Arvind is the backbone of this charitable foundation.”

CCF will extend its services to AIDS awareness campaign now - Chiranjeevi
“Now I am taking initiative to spread awareness about HIV infected and affected children. An incident led me to go for a drive on AIDS awareness. I recently met lots of kids who are infected and affected by AIDS. One small girl told me that she got AIDS because of her parents and both their parents died due to HIV. Her grandmother who used to pamper her earlier made her sit in the backyard and treated her like an untouchable. I am moved when that girl narrated this incident with tears in her eyes. That is when I decided that we should give love, confidence and moral support to kids who are infected and affected by AIDS. I am pledging my full support to any program conducted by Government anywhere in India. I also joined Richard Gere’s to ‘Heroes Project’ (aimed at spreading AIDS awareness). Our president Dr. Abdul Kalam is like a booster to our energy levels. I am so much awed by his achievements and humbleness that I would have touched his feet, but did not do it as it is against the protocol”, Chiranjeevi added.

Chiranjeevi Charitable foundation is removing the pain of people – Dr. Abdul Kalam
President of India Dr. Abdul Kalam said, “I heard about CCT and I am happy to visit this great foundation today. CCF has a beautiful vision. Chiranjeevi is doing excellent work to the society. It is an important mission to the society. I would like to explain a couple of incidents which will teach us the virtue of indomitable spirit.

1. I visited CII (Confederation of Indian Industries) in the last year and asked them to answer these two questions and email me

A) What have I learnt so far?
B) What I will be remembered for?

I got many responses from its members. But one unique response gave me lot of happiness. She answered these two questions as

a) I am Asha Ramayya and I am working as National Advocacy Officer that deals with HIV awareness. I was a HIV patient since 1995. The true learning about life started when I got affected by AIDS. My husband had thrown me out of his house. My parents did not allow me inside their house. I became an orphan. I decided to stand up instead of bowing to the pressure. Thanks to the strength of the womanhood. I started spreading awareness about HIV. That got me acceptance in society. I started counseling people regarding their personal problems. I made my parent proud with my deeds. I got remarried in 2003 to another HIV patient. We wanted to have child, but there is a threat of delivering an HIV infected child. We have followed the medical guidelines and waited patiently for the right time to give birth to an AIDS-free kid. Now I have the responsibility of planning future for my kid for the next 20 years. All HIV parents should know about it and follow it.”

b) I will be remembered by the people for fighting HIV with courage. One may get problems. But we must fight them with indomitable spirit.

2. On 26th November 2003, I met a few mentally and visually challenged kids at Rashtrapati Bhavan. On boy called Mustafa from Iran with two artificial limbs came to me and read out his poem that is written in Persian language which is titled as ‘Courage’. It goes like this –

I don’t have legs
But I have a great will power
I don’t even bow in front of a king

I would also like to narrate the meaning of a poem written by a great Tamil poet – Lillie flower blossoms even though the river’s depth is deep and water is murkier. One should never be defeated by problems. Instead, one must become the master and defeat the problem.

I am really happy that Chiranjeevi Charitable Foundation is removing the pain of the people”

1000 free cornea operations by CCT – Dr. Kasu Prasad Reddy
Dr. Kasu Prasad Reddy (Maxi Vision) said, “Our president Dr. Kalam is a great source of inspiration for all our children across the country. Chiranjeevi is more committed to society after receiving Padma Bhushan. We have performed cornea operations to 1600 people with the help of LV Prasad Eye Institute and Maxi Vision through CCT. Chiranjeevi told me last year that he wanted to do free cornea operation for 1000 people. It is an expensive proposition. We performed 210 free cornea operations so far. We currently have state of the art blood donation facility here and we will soon have state of the art eye donate facility in this premise.”

Sarat Marar anchored this event. This event was attened by prominet doctors of Hyderabad like Dr. Kakarla Subba Rao and Dr. Soma Raju. Chiranjeevi family members and producers also attended this function.

Other CCT links:
• Chiranjeevi's 100 days blood drive
• Website launch of Chiranjeevi Charitable Trust
• Chiranjeevi fan helps Thalassemia victim