PIC: Aishwarya donates her jeans for Parikrma

Amitabh Bachchan with Shobhaa De and Shukla Bose (extreme right)

Ever wondered how a pair of jeans can help fund a child's education? Well, if they are Amitabh Bachchan's jeans, then why not? This unique initiative called Jeaneration, has caught on with much gusto. The founder of Parikrma, Shukla Bose, tells us how this noble thought came about and managed to catch the attention of some of the biggest Bollywood stars.

"Parikrma has been around for 10 years now and we wanted to revolutionise our efforts to educate slum children. In a bid to do that, we thought of something really different," says Shukla. What started off with fashion guru Prasad Bidapa's idea to auction garments of known faces, to generate funds for the children, turned out to be a "jean" revolution of sorts. With noted columnist Shobhaa De being the spokesperson for this cause, Jeaneration has gathered nearly 18 pairs of jeans from celebrities like Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Kareena Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra, Saif Ali Khan, Shahid Kapoor, Sonam Kapoor, Dino Morea and Minissha Lamba.

"With Mr Bachchan at the event, it was really the best headstart we could get," says Shukla who just returned from Mumbai. With over 10 years of pathbreaking social work, this step was imperative according to this visionary. "I left a lucrative corporate life, when I realised that merely writing cheques to charity is not enough. I have put in my entire savings into my NGO and want to send all my students to University. The reason behind Jeaneration was to auction these pairs of jeans and generate money that will help a child finish his studies. I couldn't bear to tell these children that they may not be able to get a degree because of lack of funds."

Seeing the bright faces of the children in her Jayanagar school, this is a mission Shukla is well-poised to achieve. "Forty-one students are going to college this year," she says with pride, adding, "They are pursuing engineering, law, commerce and fine arts in some of the best universities in the country. "

Reflecting on her Mumbai sojourn, she feels her cause will not be overshadowed by celebrities, but on the contrary, they are the right ambassadors for social causes. "When Shobhaa and I discussed how to promote this cause, the first person we thought of was Mr Bachchan," she says recollecting, "He is one of the most humble people I have ever met. " Shukla feels stars carry credibility, media presence and fan following, which when leveraged properly, can provide impetus to a noble cause. "When the cause and celebrity merge for a greater purpose, it does more good than one can imagine," says the lady.