A group of 250+ young entrepreneurs have launched Mission Oxygen to raise funds for importing oxygen concentrators and donating them to hospitals across the country.

"The second wave of COVID has put our healthcare system under immense pressure. Providing oxygen for a large number of serious COVID patients is the need of the hour. It is heartening to see how people are rising to the occasion. A group of 250+ young entrepreneurs have launched Mission Oxygen to raise funds for importing oxygen concentrators and donating them to hospitals across the country," Tendulkar wrote in a statement on Twitter. "I've helped by contributing to the cause and hope that their effort soon reaches out to many more hospitals across India. Your support when I was playing was invaluable and helped me succeed. Today, we have to stand together behind everyone that is working hard to fight this pandemic," he added.

Earlier, Tendulkar tested positive for Covid-19 and had to be hospitalised. He has now recovered and after reaching home, the Master Blaster urged the Covid survivors to donate plasma to help save lives. Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Delhi Capitals, along with its co-owners JSW and the GMR Group, has stepped in to support the city's fight against the Covid-19 pandemic. Together, the franchise and its patrons, the JSW Foundation and GMR Varalakshmi Foundation are offering financial support amounting to INR 1.5 crore to NCR-based NGOs the Hemkunt Foundation, and the Uday Foundation.

Earlier on Thursday, Rajasthan Royals announced a contribution of INR 7.5 crores (over $1mn) towards Covid Relief to help with immediate support to people in India impacted by the surge of the Covid-19 virus. Players along with the team owners and team management have come forward to raise funds and have been working along with the Rajasthan Royals' philanthropic arm Royal Rajasthan Foundation (RRF) in partnership with the British Asian Trust (BAT). The surge in the COVID-19 cases continues to affect India as the country recorded 3,79,257 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours. This is the highest single-day spike in the cases since the pandemic began last year.