RCB Fan Army to organize blood donation drive on Sunday for kids suffering from Thalassemia

Cricket is a passionate sport. The sight of thousands of fans cheering for a batsman taking his guard is enough to enthral any cricket fanatic. Be it an international high-octane encounter or domestic nail-biting clash– the presence of fans certainly helps to notch up the atmosphere of the whole cricket stadium. In a country like India where a cricket match is given the utmost priority amid all sporting events, there are thousands of die-hard fans who never miss the opportunity to cheer for their favourite from the stands.

The rise and rise of cricket’s popularity has also paved the way for many fans to come together and passionately cheer for their favourite side. Indian Premier League is one such event where the world witnesses an extravaganza of fans supporting their most-liked franchise. One such franchise which has undying support from a plethora of fans is Royal Challengers Bangalore.

The Virat Kohli-led side has seen it all– from losing in the final in 2016 to finishing with a golden spoon last season. The Bangalore-based franchise, who managed to reach the IPL final thrice, are yet to win a trophy. However, their army of fans fails to decline. Despite their inconsistent performances, RCB are one of the most-followed franchises in the history of IPL. Amid an abundance of supporters, one group which stands apart is the RCB Fan Army.

RCB Fan Army organizes social drives every year

Along with their constant support for RCB, the RCB Fan Army organizes a social drive every year ahead of the initiation of IPL. Vitthal Shanbhag, the admin of the RCB Fan Army revealed that they will be visiting a blood bank to help kids who are suffering through Thalassemia.

“So, this is for kids affected by Thalassemia where they require regular transfusion because of lack of haemoglobin. So, we do a social drive every year before IPL,” said Shanbhag.

RCB Fan Army’s association with social drives has been a long-term affair. The group is actively involved in organizing social drives– either going to an old age home or child care– every year before the IPL kicks off.

“We either go to an old age home or child care. A couple of years ago, we also went to a blood bank. This year, we decided to do this. So, on Sunday we will be visiting a blood bank and we are expecting that 50-60 members will be donating their blood,” added Shanbhag.

Apart from their presence in the stadium for RCB’s home games, the Fan Army also lends their support in the franchise’s away games by organizing screenings. Moreover, social drives play a vital role in bringing the fans closer to each other. The Fan Army is slated to meet and assemble on 16 February, Sunday before heading towards Rashtrothhana Blood Bank for the social drive.

“It’s completely a fan army. During IPL, we are either in the stadium and we organize screenings if it’s an away match. We also organize a tournament before the initiation of IPL, we take individuals and form teams so that fans develop a bond before the start of the tournament.”

“We’ll be meeting around 10 am before heading towards Rashtrotthana Blood Bank for the social drive,” concluded Shanbhag.

Watch: Irfan Pathan’s interview post his retirement