National Award winning actor appeals to Government for a home

Pune, Sep 12 (ANI): An eleven-year-old child actor, Sharad Goyekar, who won a national award for his role in the Marathi film 'Tingya', has appealed to the government to provide his family with a home to live in.

Sharad belongs to a nomadic gypsy tribe and his family comprises his parents and six siblings who keep on moving from one temporary shelter to another.

Currently, they are staying in a ramshackle tent erected along the Mumbai-Vishakapatnam highway at Rajuri village in Pune.

"My parents live in the Rajuri village, they have no house to live in. I want to appeal the government to provide my parents a house and also provide financial assistance in building house," said Sharad.

A leading academic family of Pune adopted Sharad, as they were moved by his life, but his family is not lucky enough as they continue to live a simple, nomadic life in Rajuri village.

"Sharad has received many awards for the film Tingya, one from the President Pratibha Patil also. We don't have a permanent place to eat and sleep. I don't where will I keep these awards?" said Yamunabai Goekar, Sharad's mother.

"Tingya," which was released in 2007, is a critically-acclaimed film, directed by Mangesh Hadawale. It is story of a seven-year-old boy's love for the family's bull, who is injured and handicapped. Tingya's father, facing a financial crunch, decides to sell it off, but the boy resists and succeeds ultimately.

This realistic and touching film has bagged several national and international awards. (ANI)