By IANS,
New Delhi : Former Australian cricketer Steve Waugh, an Indophile and philanthropist whose association with the country dates back to more than 22 years, announced the formation of the Navitas-Steve Waugh Education Trust in the capital Friday.
The charitable fund will provide financial support to under-privileged children and give them better education.
“It is a great feeling. Education and cricket gel because both need integrity, drive, commitment, passion and a sense of adventure. These are also the values that Navitas represent,” Waugh told IANS Friday in an informal chat with reporters.
This is Waugh’s third social welfare project in the country. The Australian batsman is known for supporting 310 children at Udayan, the home for the children of leprosy patients at Titagarh near Kolkata.
He is also associated with the Calcutta Girls’ Foundation, a non-profit organisation and voluntary worker Shamlu Dudeja.
The Navitas-Steve Waugh Trust will be used to fund educational initiatives like promotion of literacy, numeracy and vocational skills programmes in less fortunate areas.
The trust will work together with the Steve Waugh Foundation to identify worthy recipients and work with international government bodies like Australia Education International, British Council and the Canadian Education Office.
Australia has a strong education base like India.
“Ask any parent in India what their priority is, they will say it’s education,” Waugh said.
There are no short cuts to success, the former skipper said.
“To be successful, the most important thing is to work hard. Could have, would have, might have and should have do not serve the purpose. But a lot of people in India have talent. I came across students from 14 schools in Delhi in a competition and I was amazed by the way they expressed themselves,” Waugh said.
Waugh has a wish that he plans to implement.
“I want a kid, who has been born to parents afflicted by leprosy and brought up in Udayan, to avail of the Navitas-Steve Waugh Scholarship and study abroad. It would make for a great inspiration story,” he said.
Waugh will also attend Marylebone Cricket Club’s World Cricket Committee meeting in Delhi Saturday-Sunday to address several thorny issues affecting Test cricket.