The amount was confirmed by former Mumbai skipper Amol Muzumdar on Twitter. According to him, Gavaskar has contributed Rs 35 lakh towards Prime Minister's Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund (PM-CARES Fund) and Rs 24 lakh towards Chief Minister's (Maharashtra) Relief Fund.

 

"Just heard that SMG has donated 59 lakhs towards COVID relief fund. 35 to @PMCaresFunds n 24 lakhs to @CMOMaharashtra. Thumbs up superb gesture Sir," Mujumdar tweeted on Tuesday.

 

Last week, Sachin Tendulkar, too, donated Rs 25 lakh each to the PM-CARES Fund and Chief Minister's Relief Fund in his bid to join the fight against COVID-19. Even the BCCI and its affiliated state units donated Rs 51 crore to the PM-Cares Fund in the times of crisis.

 

Current India skipper Virat Kohli and his wife Anushka Sharma have also donated Rs 3 crore towards Prime Minister's relief fund and Chief Minister's (Maharashtra) Relief Fund.

 

Several other sports personalities and organisations have also come forward and made contributions as India battles the coronavirus pandemic.

 

Close to 4,500 confirmed cases of novel coronavirus have been reported while 114 lives have been lost thus far in India.