Mid-Day Impact: Mumbaikars rally for 12-year-old at Sion Hospital, raise Rs 61,000 in a day

Parwez Ali with his mother, Shabana, at Sion Hospital on Wednesday after donations from readers began coming in. PICS/RITIKA GONDHALEKAR

After spending Tuesday running from pillar to post outside Sion Hospital seeking help for his mother's surgery and returning empty-handed, 12-year-old Parwez Ali woke up on Wednesday to an unexpected flood of donations.

Parwez Ali (in green) and a social work tender to Shabana at KEM Hospital in 2024. PIC/By Special Arrangement

"I saw that I had multiple messages - some reading Rs 100 credited, some saying Rs 10,000 credited. I couldn't believe that the account balance had reached Rs 23,000. And this was just around 10.30 in the morning," said Ali. By the end of the day, contributions from readers pushed the total to Rs 61,000.

Parwez said the funds have already begun easing the family's burden.

Scan QR code to help fund Shabana's treatment

How to send money to Parwez if QR or UPI fails

>> Open PhonePe
>> Select "To Bank Account & Self" in Send Money
>> Select Union Bank of India
>> Enter account number: 319302120001544
>> Send the desired amount

Technical hurdle in UPI

The surge of support briefly hit a banking limit, as Parwez's account is a basic deposit account that allows only Rs 20,000 to be credited per day. "When I tried sending him money via PhonePe, it said that the receiver's account had reached the daily credit limit. I was then informed by this reporter about this technical issue. Later, around 2.30 in the afternoon, I was able to send him money. I donated Rs 5000, and that got credited to his account," said a donor. Once the cap was reset, transfers resumed, and more funds were credited.

Donations in one day

Rs 61,000
Total contributed by Mumbaikars in a single day

Rs 23,000
Balance visible by 10.30 am (Rs 20,000 donations + Rs 3000 savings)

Rs 100 - Rs 10,000
Range of individual contributions