If India saw anything good in an otherwise awful year 2020, then it is definitely the messiah avatar of popular actor Sonu Sood amidst coronavirus pandemic and plight of migrant workers.
After being appointed as the state icon of Punjab by the Election Commission, Indian actor Sonu Sood has been named the number one Asian celebrity on the planet for 2020.
Owing to his great deeds and selfless helping hand during the coronavirus outbreak in 2020, the actor topped first-of-its-kind ranking released in London on Wednesday, 9 December.
The 47-year-old Sonu Sood left many celebs behind to top the ranking that included names from Hollywood, the music industry, television, literature and social media.
“Thank you, Eastern Eye, for recognising my efforts. As the pandemic broke, I realised it was my duty to help my countrymen, it was an instinct that came from within. Eventually, this was something I came to Mumbai for, it was my responsibility as an Indian which I did”, said the 47-year-old actor.
“I think all the love of the people, which I received was simply their wishes and prayers who I helped. Once again, I won’t stop till my last breath,” said Sonu Sood who is known for his box-office hits such as Dabangg and Simmba.
What is top ‘50 Asian Celebrities In The World’ list?
It is a list of celebrities who are appreciated and honoured for good deeds throughput the year. The list is published by UK-based weekly newspaper Eastern Eye.
The list of top 50 global celebrities honours the personalities who did great deeds, philanthropic work, created positive impact, went an extra mile, or those who were an inspiration in their own unique way.
The list also includes acting legend Amitabh Bachchan (20), 18-year-old Canadian actor Maitreyi Ramakrishnan (22), and Booker Prize-nominated author Avni Doshi (31).
What did Sonu Sood do in COVID-19 lockdown to top this list?
During the outbreak of coronavirus pandemic and nationwide lockdown, 47-year-old Bollywood star Sonu Sood organized buses for migrant workers to travel from Mumbai to their respective hometowns across India.
After opening his hotel for health-care warriors, @Sonu_Sood starts a food drive ‘Shakti Annadanam’ under his father’s name. Around 45,000 people across Mumbai are being fed everyday, under the drive. Let’s all come together in the difficult times & help the needy. pic.twitter.com/GDhuRiQhzV
— Komal Nahta (@KomalNahta) April 11, 2020
In the initial three months of coronavirus pandemic in India, Sonu Sood had helped over 20,000 people and arrangements for other 45,000 people were made.
Working with @SonuSood and @NeetiGoel2 we set up a migrant helpline tollfree number which redirected people to a WhatsApp number where they could send their info about where they wanted to travel.
Then this happened. pic.twitter.com/fsSTHow9Vh— K K Mookhey (@kkmookhey) May 27, 2020
Sonu Sood started five heart-warming initiatives amidst the coronavirus pandemic. These campaigns included; feeding the hungry, accommodating healthcare workers, sending migrants to their homes, empowered people through employment, helped students in reaching their hometowns, and helping frontline workers such as police officers, healthcare staff and others.
मेरे जन्मदिन के अवसर पे मेरे प्रवासी भाइयों के लिए https://t.co/UWWbpO77Cf का 3 लाख नौकरियों के लिए मेरा करार। ये सभी अच्छे वेतन, PF,ESI और अन्य लाभ प्रदान करते हैं। धन्यवाद् AEPC, CITI, Trident, Quess Corp, Amazon, Sodexo, Urban Co , Portea और अन्य सभी का।#AbIndiaBanegaKamyaab pic.twitter.com/rjQ0rXnJAl
— sonu sood (@SonuSood) July 30, 2020
The actor received massive appreciation from many friends, fans, colleagues, politicians and celebs. One of the most notable things about Sonu Sood is that he has offered free services of each and every person during the coronavirus pandemic.
Referring to actor’s twitter handle, we can see that his cover picture reads :Nishulk Seva, Kisi ko paise mat de’n (Our Services are free).
Watch this space for more updates!
