Deepika Padukone raises Rs 1.3 crore for several charities

Bengaluru's Deepika Padukone ran the marathon in her city this year and raised an unprecedented Rs 1.3 crore for 80 different causes.

The Bengaluru marathon this year registered a 300 per cent increase over last year. This was all because the Om Shanti Om girl, who hails from the city, was part of the marathon.

Deepika was thrilled at an opportunity to promote a sporting culture and didn't charge a fee to endorse the marathon. The actress is happy that she could raise so much money for so many charities at one go, "There was a huge turnout and I am very glad that I associated myself with an event like this.

If my being there and giving an hour of my time makes such a huge difference I can't help but support it. I will always available for such events. I guess because I am from Bengaluru that it made a difference. The marathon was very well organised and sports will always be a priority for me."

Amongst the 80 causes that the marathon contributed to, was one that close to her heart, "One of my closest friends in Bengaluru was running at the marathon too. She had lost her father many years ago to haemophylia and today her mom has formed an NGO which offers free aid to under privileged haemophaelic patients including children." The actress supports that cause personally.