The three-part documentary ‘Bharat Ke Mahaveer’ showcases stories of extraordinary kindness shown by people at a time of the unprecedented COVID-19 crisis.

• 12 stories showcasing India’s spirit of solidarity and unity will air on Discovery Channel and also stream on Discovery Plus in the month of November

• Indian film industry actors Dia Mirza and Sonu Sood will co-host the series
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MUMBAI, 15 October 2020 (GPN): Recognising India’s unsung selfless heroes who have gone out of their way to help those in need during the COVID19 pandemic, the United Nations in India and NITI Aayog, in partnership with Discovery channel, are launching #BharatKeMahaveer. The campaign will celebrate Indians who have shown extraordinary kindness – extending a helping hand to the vulnerable, going that extra mile – selflessly and without any expectation. 

As part of the campaign, Bharat Ke Mahaveer, a three-part series will air on Discovery Channel to celebrate the actions by 12 champions from across India who, through their exemplary actions have been spreading a ray of hope, coming together in strength and solidarity. The series will be co-hosted by the UN Secretary-General’s SDG Advocate Dia Mirza and actor Sonu Sood, who was recently conferred the ‘Special Humanitarian Action Award’ by the Government of Punjab for his humanitarian efforts during the COVID-19 crisis.

Speaking about the initiative, Amitabh Kant, CEO, NITI Aayog, said, “Throughout this global crisis, we have seen countless stories of individuals across the country who have gone beyond their call of duty. Even in the Aspirational Districts, despite facing greater developmental challenges, people came forward in a tremendous display of humanity. We are happy to have come together with Discovery and the UN in India for this initiative to recognize these stories”.

Bharat Ke Mahaveer celebrates luminous stories of solidarity – where, whether through food distribution, providing medical care, donating their life savings or feeding a stray animal – India – of all ages, and today still – has shown a strong sense of togetherness in times of crisis.   

Renata Dessallien, UN Resident Coordinator in India said, “As COVID-19 continues to upend our lives, these unsung heroes are an inspiration and solace to us all. They remind us that it is only working together, with kindness and compassion, that we can succeed – a truth that underpins the message of United Nations, especially during this 75^th year since our founding. Through Bharat Ke Mahaveer, we wish to honour those individuals, who despite all odds, have gone out of their way to show extraordinary selfless kindness to help those in need.  They rekindle our faith in humanity and our hope for a better future. They make us proud, here in India and globally.” 

Megha Tata, Managing Director – South Asia, Discovery Communications India, said, “Bharat Ke Mahaveer is not just a TV show – it is reflection of India’s gratitude to so many of the unsung heroes who became a shining beacon of hope and inspiration. We are proud to partner NITI Aayog and UN India in this prestigious project.”

Bharat ke Mahaveer co-host and UN Secretary-General’s SDG Advocate Dia Mirza said, “Over the past few months, India has shown the world that when people come together, they can overcome any adversity. Instead of self-interest, we have seen an outpouring of solidarity during the pandemic. People are banding together to spread love, compassion and positivity through their actions, thereby ensuring that the most vulnerable are not left behind. I am proud to call myself an Indian and proud to be part of this excellent initiative.”

“The recent time has been painful for humanity. During this time, some individuals with extra-ordinary sense of empathy for fellow citizens gave away everything they had,” said Sonu Sood, who is also the face of the campaign, along with Dia Mirza. “The almighty has been benevolent to me, and has given me means to help others, and I tried in my small way, but some of the stories I have read are of individuals with limited means but who with their strong will – moved mountains. The world will know more about these heroes through Bharat Ke Mahaveer.”

Bharat Ke Mahaveer has attracted premium advertisers on-board. The series is Co-powered by Amazon.in, MI TV, Dell while Amul, Kia Sonet and Hicks, Hot Water Bottle are the Associate Sponsors.

Bharat Ke Mahaveer will commence with Phase 1 in the month of November on Discovery and Discovery HD Channels. Viewers can also stream the show on Discovery Plus app. ENDS

About Discovery India:

Discovery Communications India, country’s leading real life entertainment player, is dedicated to satisfying curiosity, engaging and entertaining viewers with high-quality content through its portfolio of 14 channels including Discovery Channel, Discovery HD, Animal Planet, Animal Planet HD, TLC, TLC HD, Investigation Discovery, Investigation Discovery HD, Discovery Science, Discovery Turbo, Discovery Kids, DTamil and sports channels Eurosport and Eurosport HD.  The company recently launched India’s first aggregated real-life entertainment streaming app Discovery Plus. Available on Android, iOS and on the desktop / mobile web and Fire TV, the app offers more than 40,000 hours of content, across 40+ genres including Science, Adventure, Food and Lifestyle, in the language of your choice. For more information, please visit corporate.discovery.com.

About UN India

The United Nations system in India includes 26 organisations that have the privilege to serve in India. The Resident Coordinator, the designated representative of the UN Secretary-General to the Government leads the UN Country Team to advocate the mandate of the United Nations, while drawing on the support and guidance of the entire UN family. For more information, please visit: in.one.un.org

About NITI Aayog

The National Institution for Transforming India, also called NITI Aayog, was formed via a resolution of the Union Cabinet on January 1, 2015. NITI Aayog is the premier policy ‘Think Tank’ of the Government of India, providing both directional and policy inputs. While designing strategic and long term policies and programmes for the Government of India, NITI Aayog also provides relevant technical advice to the Centre and States.