Azim Premji to Akshay Kumar, the top 10 donors to India's Covid-19 fight

The Covid-19 pandemic has not only put the lives of Indians at risk, but also their livelihoods. With the country under lockdown till the middle of April, the informal workforce—which, according to the International Labour Organisation (ILO), accounts for more than 80 percent of non-agricultural employment in India—is already facing tremendous hardships as migrant labourers lose their jobs and walk thousands of kilometres to reach their villages.

Data from the National Sample Survey and Periodic Labour Force Surveys pegs the number of people who are at the immediate risk of losing their jobs at 136 million. Although the long-term effects of the pandemic on various sectors are yet to be fully evident, it can be estimated that it will affect employment significantly. Added to this are challenges facing the public and private sectors as they boost production of essentials required to help health workers, who are dealing with an increasing number of infected patients, and those in quarantine.

On March 28, Prime Minister Narandra Modi announced the Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations (PM CARES) fund, to which companies and individuals can donate in order to boost relief efforts. Here’s a look at the top 10 donors as on April 3.