MUMBAI: 35 Rapid Rescue Teams (RRTs) to be deployed across Tiger Reserves of the country in partnership with Wildlife Conservation Trust with the funds raised.

MUMBAI: NDTV has managed to raise Rs 48.6 million for its “Save Our Tiger” campaign by telecasting a 12-hour nonstop program -The Telethon on its network channels.

The Telethon, in association with Aircel, saw wildlife champions from across the country coming forward to extend a hand in saving the national animal the Indian Tiger.

Campaign ambassador Amitabh Bachchan along with NDTV chairman Dr Prannoy Roy and Vikram Chandra highlighted the key issues of tiger conservation and keenly monitored events across the country from the central hub at Pench, Tiger Reserve from 11 am to 11 pm on 12 December.

NDTV said that people and organisation from across the nation come forward to contribute Rs 24.3 million for the cause, while investment banker, Hemendre Kothari matches the contribution with a donation of Rs 24.3 million.

Apart from Kothari, some of the donors are Bhaichung Bhutia, Abhishek Bachchan, Nitin Gadkari, Diya Mirza, Manish Malhotra, Soli Sorabjee, Priya Dutt, industry body CII, and coporates such as Westside.

Campaign ambassador Bachchan donated Rs 2.8 million and also auctioned his Cartier watch and two pairs of designer glasses which raised another Rs 845,000 million.

According to Wildlife Conservation Trust director Dr Anish Andheria, the funds raised in this telethon are sufficient to create and deploy 35 Rapid Response Teams (RRTs) and cover all the Tiger Reserves across the country.

Roy said, “NDTV is overwhelmed by the nationwide response. We are most pleased that the Tigerthon achieved three aims: to raise awareness and initiate action on the ground, to get Chief Ministers to pledge support to save the tiger and, most exciting, the full-day Tiger Conclave by CII, all political parties and tiger experts which hopefully will lead to Project Tiger 2."

Aircel COO Gurdeep Singh added, “We would like to thank each and everyone who came forward and supported the cause. The level of participation and support for our national animal, the Tiger is over whelming. Aircel‘s support to the cause is long term and we will continue to build on our efforts to save our tigers.”