Kohli to host the biggest Charity Gala Dinner to support children and youth empowerment

Virat Kohli Foundation has joined hands with Smile Foundation a national level development organization to support the cause of empowerment of underprivileged Children and YouthAs a first step towards this endeavor a oneofitskind charity dinner in Mumbai is going to be organised in June Virat Kohli himself will host the charity dinner which will be attended by eminent cricketers industry stalwarts corporate honchos bollywood personalities and achievers from diverse fieldsThe experiential evening will have a five course Michelin starred dinner curated by Chef Vikas Khanna for 200 distinguished guests Also there will be an auction of priceless cregraveme de la cregraveme luxury items as well as high power entertainment to bring the evening alive Speaking on this occasion Virat Kohli Said ldquoChildren and Youth are the next generation of students leaders entrepreneurs and the future of the country and there is no better tool other than education to empower them This initiative is not just about fulfilling their basic needs but making them able to take care of their own needs ndash giving them an opportunity to learn equipping them to face challenges and preparing them to be tomorrowrsquos leaders I am glad to be associated with Smile Foundation and contribute towards this endeavor rdquoToday more than half of Indiarsquos population is below the age of 25 India is touted to become one of the youngest countries by 2020 with average age being 29 However nearly 8 million children in India are still out of school ndash on the streets working in hazardous conditions getting involved in illegal activities ndash far away from the innocence of childhoodThe situation of our youth is no different As per a latest Survey Report by the NSSO the unemployment rate in India has increased substantially in the last two years with nearly 108 million unemployed young men and women Thus the soul behind this initiative is to raise awareness and support for the cause of education and skill training for the thousands of less privileged children and youth in India Virat Kohli is one of the most loved followed youth icons of the day The place he has created for himself in the hearts of millionsrsquo of cricket lovers across the globe at such a young age remains unparalleled His association with social work brings admiration not only from the cricket arena but from every strata of the society Through this initiative he will be encouraging youth to reach for their aspirations and will also advocate inspire and encourage more individuals to join the social movementMichelin starred Chef Vikas Khanna Global Ambassador for Smile Foundation has been advocating the cause of Nutrition for Education According to Chef Vikas Khanna ldquoProper nutrition is crucial for our younger generation and to ensure that they are surging ahead towards building a stronger India My association with Smile Foundation is towards ensuring that no child misses out on education because of the lack of nutrition With the first ever auction of Utsav I am reiterating my pledge to raise a MillionDollar4Nutrition to eradicate malnutrition in my heartland IndiardquoChef Vikas Khanna has pledged to auction the 12th copy of the limited edition of ldquoUtsav ndash a culinary epic of Indian festivalsrdquo at the event to support the campaign of Milliondollar4Nutrition which aims at raising funds to support Nutrition for less privileged children a cause that he has been supporting with Smile Foundation for more than 3 years UTSAV celebrates Incredible India in all its glory and grandeur while also supporting a cause very close to our hearts ndash of feeding underprivileged children across India The book would be one of the 12 limited edition copies which will go to luminaries from around the world including Prime Minister Narendra Modi US President Barack Obama Bill Clinton Hillary Clinton and HH the Dalai LamaAn exquisite work of art with its cover and box handpainted in 24Carat Gold what makes it extra special and a worthy collectible for the worldrsquos best known humanitarians is that it features a hand written prayer in Tibetian by His Holiness the Dalai Lama Incidentally this 12th copy was meant for Steve Jobs and since he is no more Chef Khanna gave it to Smile Foundation in the hope of being able to nurture the next ldquoSteve Jobsrdquo from India ldquoVirat Kohli is one of the most loved youth icons of the day embodying the hopes aspirations and dreams of millions of young people across the country We appreciate philanthropic values of Virat Kohli Foundation To have him support the cause of empowerment for children and youth strengthens our resolve to reach out to thousands of those unreached young people who are still struggling to come out of the vicious cycle of poverty and help them write their own destinies with the power of educationrdquo Said Mr Santanu Mishra CoFounder and Executive Trustee Smile FoundationHe further added ldquoMichelin starred Chef Vikas Khanna has been instrumental in taking the cause of nutrition to soaring heights It is our pleasure to have committed individuals like Chef Vikas Khanna as our Global Ambassador for the cause of Nutrition For Education campaign and his initiative to donate the auction proceeds of his first limited edition book to this cause which will help us benefit a lot of children UTSAV is a result of sheer hard work and dedication and Smile Foundation is proud to be a part of this journeyrdquo Smile Foundation has been working intensively for the empowerment of children and youth through its education initiatives that provide them with quality education skills training proper nutrition and relevant exposure and opportunities With the two industry stalwarts Virat Kohli and Vikas Khanna joining this initiative the movement will step in to the next phase of success The evening will also witness an auction of highend luxury products some of the rarest of the rare experience memorabilia of the cricketers the proceeds of which will go towards the cause