India's leading players Sharath Kamal and G Sathiyan are close to raising Rs 10 lakh, aimed at helping at least 100 people in the table tennis ecosystem amid the coronavirus crisis.

Helping Sharath and Sathiyan in the initiative is former player Neha Aggarwal. The trio has already raised Rs 7 lakh in four days. Financial help will be provided to players, coaches and umpires.

"Sathiyan came up with the idea as he heard about the plight of some of his batchmates who have becomes coaches. They have no work at the moment due to the current crisis. So, we thought this is the least we could do," world number 31 Sharath told PTI.

"The response has been really good. We might revise the target and help more than 100 going forward. We will take a call on that once we raise Rs 10 lakh, which we hope to in a day or two."

They have taken help from the likes of Soumyadeep Roy and Kamlesh Mehta to shortlist the needy ones from across the country.