India’s COVID-19 Surge: Brett Lee Backs Crypto Relief Fund, Donates 1 Bitcoin

Inspired by his compatriot Pat Cummins, former Australian cricketer Brett Lee has decided to donate 1 Bitcoin (nearly Rs. 40 lakhs) to the Crypto Relief Fund to help his “second home”, India, ensure oxygen supplies for hospitals and win the battle against the raging second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Lee, who is in India for the ongoing Indian Premier League, said now was the time to be united and help those in need.

In a statement on his Twitter handle, Lee praised Cummins, who has announced that he will contribute $50,000 (roughly Rs. 37 lakhs) towards the PM-CARES Fund. Lee said he was deeply saddened to see people suffering and would “like to donate 1 BTC (Bitcoin) to Crypto Relief to help with the purchase of oxygen supplies” for hospitals across India.

Several Twitter users praised Lee's gesture and thanked him for helping out during a time of crisis.

“Man with a golden heart. You are truly a legend,” said a user named Aman Raina.

Tagging Lee and Cummins, Ajmal P said, “It's not about the amount, it's about the camaraderie shown by two fellow Australians! Thanks a lot! Indians never forget.”

Crypto Community Comes Together

Though Bitcoin is not a legal tender in India, some crypto community members have come together to set up the Crypto Relief Fund for those who would want to make contributions to equip the health infrastructure of the country to cope with the pandemic.

The cryptorelief.in website says its mission is to “reduce suffering by providing healthcare and essentials to those fighting for survival against Covid”. Set up by Sandeep Nailwal, the co-founder of Ethereum platform Polygon, the fund has so far raised over $2.2 million in cryptocurrency value.

That apart, tech leaders and organisations from across the globe, too, have come together to support India, as the country battles a humongous surge in the novel coronavirus cases and deaths resulting from it.

On Tuesday, Apple CEO Tim Cook said his thoughts were with medical workers, “our Apple family and everyone there [in India] who is fighting through this awful stage of the pandemic”.

Few others who have expressed solidarity with India in this hour of crisis and pledged financial support include Joe Lonsdale, an entrepreneur, investor and philanthropist, and Micheal Arrington, the founder of TechCrunch, CrunchBase, and Arrington XRP Capital.

Do your research before investing

On Wednesday (at the time of writing), the value of Bitcoin was $54,419.34 (roughly Rs. 40 lakhs). The cryptocurrency had hit an all-time high of $64,804.72 (rroughly Rs. 48 lakh) on April 9.

The surging value of Bitcoin over the last few months has gotten everyone paying attention again to the cryptocurrency. Though it seems like a great investment, you need to do your research before you take the plunge because of the cryptocurrency's volatile nature.

The COVID-19 situation in India has deteriorated rapidly recently, with the country registering more than 3 lakh daily cases for a week and recording deaths due to the disease. A dwindling medical oxygen supply chain in the face of an unprecedented demand has paralysed hospitals and other healthcare facilities in the country.