A group of students of IISER Kolkata in Kalyani are selling their paintings, photographs and handicrafts on their Facebook page to raise funds to provide oxygen cylinders and other support to Covid-affected people in places like Kalyani and Haringhata and Lalgarh.

The students of the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) have launched a Facebook page “Art for a Cause” and so far raised Rs 2 lakh, which has been used to buy oxygen cylinders and run a community kitchen to feed the underprivileged.

The cylinders have been distributed through various volunteer groups.

A photograph taken by an IISER student

The students ran a community kitchen on the campus to provide food twice a day to underprivileged people who have recovered from Covid.

A student of the institute said that the need for distribution of cylinders has come down with the steady drop in case count, but the Covid induced distress among the poor is on the rise and they are trying to address that.

“We extended support to The Dreamers Foundation from Sreerampore in their efforts to provide study materials, notebooks and stationary to 350 underprivileged children from the

Lalgarh village in Jhargram district,” said Susnato Karmakar, a research scholar.

“We plan to reach out to the farthest corners of our state and be there for people who genuinely need a supporting hand.”

Payment links have been posted on the Facebook page and once purchased, the artwork is shipped to the designated addresses.

Photographs that the students captured on their cameras during family holidays and paintings that many still draw as a form of recreation have been uploaded on the page.

Volunteers distribute oxygen cylinders

The photographs are mainly available in 8X12 inches with a minimum price tag of Rs 500.

For the acrylic artwork, the minimum price has been set at Rs 300.

Under the handicrafts section, painted vases and bottles will be available soon.

The artwork is available on Instagram as well.

The group has contacted various photography clubs in Calcutta so that more work can be uploaded to raise funds.

Students of Ballygunge Science College have also joined them.

“Since we have extended our drive, this will require substantial generation of funds, which can be possible if we can attract more buyers with an array of impressive collections,” said Koustav Gangopadhyay, a final-year research scholar at IISER.

The initiative was launched in May.

They procured several oxygen cylinders bought from a local plant in Nadia and had them distributed to those in need.

The cost of refilling the oxygen cylinders is borne by the group.

Karmakar said in areas like Kalyani and Haringhata, with the crippling loss of income during the pandemic, many could not afford oxygen cylinders.

“People in this belt of Nadia district tested positive when Covid cases were being reported in increasing numbers. Many were being asked to isolate at home with the support of oxygen cylinders. But these daily wage earners whose conditions have worsened in the lockdown earlier this year could not afford oxygen at home — a void that we tried to fill to some extent,” he said.

The members of the forum have also distributed pulse oximeters, sanitisers and gloves through the volunteer group.