Centre nominates VVS Laxman, Gopichand, Balasubrahmanyam for Swachh Bharat campaign

HYDERABAD: The Centre today nominated former cricketer VVS Laxman, badminton chief national coach Pullela Gopichand, chess player Koneru Humpy, eminent playback singer S P Balasubrahmanyam and other icons as brand ambassadors for the ' Swachh Bharat' campaign.

The nomination was formally made by Union Urban Development Minister M Venkaiah Naidu at an event held here.

The others nominated include MPs K Kavitha (TRS), Jayadev Galla (TDP), corporate personalities B V R Mohan Reddy, J A Chowdary, Rameshwar Rao and Dr Gopichand and G S Rao from the medical field, film lyricist Suddala Ashok Teja, Telugu actor Nitin and media personality Vemuri Radhakrishna.

Naidu said BCCI interim president Shivlal Yadav and top-ranking Telugu actor and Janasena Party founder Pavan Kalyan have also agreed to be brand ambassadors. They could not attend today's event.

Thanking Naidu for nominating them as brand ambassadors, all of them said in their acceptance speech that they would strive to make the campaign a success.

Balasubrahmanyam, who enthralled the audience on the occasion by singing a song on 'Swachh Bharat', said he would like to get songs written in Telugu and also translate it into other Indian languages to popularise the initiative.

Laxman said the campaign is a success as his children are also aware of it.

"I am so glad that this movement has taken great strides because even my young kids know about this movement. They follow and in fact, they tell elders to follow 'Swachh Bharat'.

"Sometimes, we take it for granted. It's a change in mindset which we require. As ambassador for this, I will look forward to spreading awareness and helping the local authorities," he said.

Recalling Prime Minister Narendra Modi's message that 'Swachh Bharat' should be a people's movement, Naidu said personalities and organisations from a cross section of the society, including sports, cinema and spiritual organisations, have been involved in the endeavour.

It is for the individual ambassadors to propagate the message of 'Swachh Bharat', he said.

Naidu said he would like to nominate prominent personalities in every state as brand ambassadors for the campaign.