On April 5, 2020, former Indian cricket star and 2011 World Cup winner Yuvraj Singh shared a post supporting the '9 minutes at 9pm' campaign. The initiative, launched by the Prime Minister, asked the public to light a candle or diya for nine minutes as a collective gesture of strength and resilience during the crisis.
Showing his support for the national cause, Yuvraj Singh donated 50 lakh rupees to the PM-CARES Fund. He urged others to join him via Twitter, stating that unity is their greatest strength and inviting everyone to participate in the candle-lighting ceremony while encouraging them to contribute whatever they could to the relief fund.
Yuvraj was part of a larger wave of generosity from the Indian sporting community. High-profile athletes such as MS Dhoni, Sachin Tendulkar, Suresh Raina, PV Sindhu, and Mary Kom also contributed funds to help their states navigate the crisis. These donations flowed into systems like the PM-CARES Fund, established by PM Modi to stabilize the country. This movement followed the 'Janata Curfew' and the heartfelt applause for frontline medical workers on March 22, 2020. At that point in the crisis, India had recorded 4,067 positive cases, 109 deaths, and 292 recoveries.