TRS MP’s gift idea on Rakhi: helmets

Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) MP Kalvakuntla Kavitha has started an innovative online campaign appealing to the country’s women to gift helmets to their brothers on Rakhi, which will be celebrated on August 7.

The MP, daughter of Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, kick-started her #Sisters4Change campaign on Monday, which also marked the birthday of her brother, IT minister KT Rama Rao.

Kavitha said about 400 people die every day in two-wheeler accidents across the country because they don’t wear helmets. “Let us join hands for our brothers’ safety. Set a new trend this Rakhi: Gift your brother a helmet,” she said in a statement.

The MP, who represents Nizamabad parliamentary constituency, also tweeted: “Anguished by the number of 2-wheeler accidents, I would like to make a serious effort 2 save some lives. Join me #Sisters4Change #GiftAHelmet.”

Kavitha said she was launching the campaign on her brother’s birthday wishing for the safety of the brothers across India. “Happy birthday Annayya (brother),” she said in her tweet late on Monday.

Within hours of the launch, the campaign garnered tremendous response. KTR retweeted Kavitha’s post while appreciating the cause. “Safety of brothers across India! Now, that sounds interesting!” he said in his tweet.

Ace badminton players Jwala Gutta and Saina Nehwal, too, expressed their support to the MP’s campaign. “Great Idea @RaoKavitha #Sisters4Change #GiftAHelmet,” Jwala tweeted.

Kavitha said Telangana Jagruthi, a social organisation led by her, would take up the activities on the ground as well promote wearing of helmets by men across the country.

“It is the need of the hour to safeguard our brothers and rewrite the tradition by gifting them a helmet this Rakhi, as the numbers of deaths in twowheeler accidents are much higher than those in the terrorist attacks," she said.