- Tuesday, February 25, 2025
By: Shubham Ghosh
BOLLYWOOD actor Sonu Sood, who stole the headlines often with his philanthropic moves during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, is set to become the brand ambassador for the Delhi government’s ‘Desh Ke Mentor’ initiative.
Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said this on Friday (27).
Sood met Kejriwal at the national capital, a day after the Aam Aadmi Party chief announced that his government would soon unveil “the most progressive” film policy in the country that would give a massive push to the entertainment industry.
Sitting in a joint press conference with Sood, 48, following their meeting, Kejriwal praised the former’s philanthropic initiatives taken during the migrant displacement crisis triggered by the pandemic.
मानवता की सेवा में @SonuSood जी के योगदान को हम सबने देखा और सराहा है
अब सोनू जी दिल्ली के सरकारी स्कूलों में बच्चों के लिए बनाए गए ‘देश के मेंटर’ प्रोग्राम के ब्रांड एंबेसडर होंगे। सोनू जी का इस कार्यक्रम के साथ जुड़ना निश्चित ही बच्चों के उज्ज्वल भविष्य में मददगार साबित होगा। pic.twitter.com/tOtLcJU3rj
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) August 27, 2021
Announcing the ‘Desh ke Mentor‘ initiative, a mentorship programme in the wake of the crisis, the Delhi chief minister said that it is India’s largest mentoring programme yet which will see around 3 lakh (0.3 million) young professionals guiding and mentoring 10 lakh (1 million) Delhi government school students for a bright future. Sood has agreed to become the brand ambassador for this programme, he said.
Under the ‘Desh ke Mentor’ initiative, people experienced in their professions will be encouraged to mentor groups of children enrolled in Delhi government schools, Kejriwal said in the press conference, adding that the initiative will be launched in mid-September.
Sood, who has been doing films since 1999 and appeared in productions in various Indian languages, also praised Kejriwal for his welfare initiatives. He said the national capital has become an ideal model for education.
Noting that progress in social indicators will only happen with education, the actor and philanthropist said that there is a big need for ‘mentors’ who can guide children towards a bright future. The Punjab-born actor said around 20,000 migrant children are currently being taught under charity organisations but there is a need to formalise the system under the Delhi government’s initiative for school children.
Both the actor and the politician said at the press conference that “nothing political” was discussed in their meeting.
Responding to reporters’ queries in the context of next year’s Punjab assembly elections, Sood said no discussions on political issues took place.
Besides Kejriwal, Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, AAP Delhi legislator Raghav Chadha and Karan Gilhotra, founder of Punjab’s Plaksha University and a philanthropist friend of Sood, were also present.
Kejriwal later tweeted in Hindi saying, “in the service of humanity @SonuSood We all have seen and appreciated ji’s contribution. Now Sonu ji will be the brand ambassador of ‘Desh Ke Mentor‘ program for children in government schools of Delhi. Sonu ji’s association with this program will definitely prove helpful in the bright future of the children.”
Sood also tweeted, saying, “Truly honoured and humbled to be the brand ambassador of Desh Ke Mentor a programme which has given me an opportunity to mentor lakhs of students across India. Thank you so much @ArvindKejriwal sir for making me a part of this initiative. Jai Hind”
