The Hindu Relief Fund -- Online Payment -- entry page

The Hindu Relief Fund

The Hindu wishes to thank and commend its readers and well-wishers for their magnificent response to the tsunami calamity — they have expressed their solidarity with the victims through tremendously generous contributions to `The Hindu Relief Fund.'

The Fund was set up on December 27, 2004, a day after the tsunami struck. As on February 15, 2005, the contributions, big and small, to the Fund have added up to an unprecedented Rs.12.56 crores.

In all, 21,294 contributors — individuals, groups, corporate houses, trade unions, schools, schoolchildren, and citizen sector associations — have given expression to their feelings of solidarity and compassion. Contributions from within India amounted to Rs. 9.24 crores (73.57 per cent) and contributions from abroad Rs. 3.32 crores (26.43 per cent).

A noteworthy feature has been the scale of contributions made online: the Internet has proved to be a significant and convenient medium for 6,524 donors, whose contributions amounted to Rs.3.54 crores (28.18 per cent of total contributions). These donors live in more than 50 different countries. The United States accounted for the largest online collections amounting to Rs.2.17 crores followed by India (Rs. 50.92 lakhs), the United Kingdom (Rs.31.42 lakhs), Australia (Rs.9.77 lakhs), Singapore (Rs.7.15 lakhs), Canada (Rs.6.37 lakhs), and the United Arab Emirates (Rs. 4.09 lakhs).

From the collection, `The Hindu Relief Fund' has made contributions totalling Rs. 10 crores as follows: Rs. 2 crores to the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund; Rs. 5 crores to the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister's Public Relief Fund; Rs. 1.50 crores to the Kerala Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund; Rs. 75 lakhs to the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister's Relief Fund; and Rs. 75 lakhs to the Pondicherry Chief Minister's Relief Fund.

These amounts were worked out broadly in proportion to the devastation inflicted by the tsunami in the three States and two Union Territories, as reliably assessed. The balance amount will be paid out soon, again in a proportionate way.

While thanking and commending its readers and well-wishers warmly for their inspiring response, The Hindu announces that `The Hindu Relief Fund' in aid of tsunami victims is now closed. Contributions in the pipeline will be accepted and paid out. We request all those who wish to make further contributions to the rehabilitation and rebuilding efforts in aid of tsunami victims to send their donations to other funds and organisations, as they deem fit.

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