Project Karuna awareness campaign – A Walk with Dogs

It is almost 3 am just returned home from a close friend’s anniversary party. In the evening went to participate in a Walk to launch Karuna – a project of actress and friend Debasree Roy – dedicated towards spreading awareness and care towards uncared animals in Kolkata.

Project Karuna is supported by me and my organisation, Prabha Khaitan Foundation. The one-of-its-kind Walk from the main gate of Victorial Memorial to Mohor Gate today was for the street dogs but many celebrities of Kolkata joined in with their pets as a mark of solidarity to the project. Among others who joined Debasree and me were the Kolkata Police Commissioner Gautam Mohan Chakraborty, Moon Moon Sen, Indrani Dutta, Miss Jojo, Agnimitra Paul, Sohini Pal, Tanmoy Bose, Bappi Lahiri and others, including a large number of animal activists.

The birth of project Karuna took place during one of the informal addas at my house when Debasree Roy, Jogen Choudhury and I were talking about art, films, French museums and artists and the love for cats among the French. The talks led to the plight of uncared animals in our city and we decided to do something about it.

Debasree, herself a dog lover, is deeply pained by the pitiable condition of uncared dogs and other animals. Debasree recalled the case of a dog that was brutally killed in Salt Lake one night and she rushed to the spot and soon with the support of few dog lovers and like-minded organisations, with whom she was already in touch with, decided to give project Karuna a final shape and structure.

This was announced at a Press Meet on January 22nd with a plan to provide vaccination to 100 stray dogs in the city in four months. A plan to sensitise the public through an awareness campaign was decided which culminated in today’s Walk.

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