Wolves ace Danny Batth spending summer break helping acid victims in India
With the season finished most footballers have jetted off for a glamorous holiday in the sunshine.
But Wolves skipper Danny Batth has spent the past week in India, doing charity work and raising the profile of Indian football.
Danny, whose father was born in Punjab and moved to England aged 12, travelled out with partner Natalie Ann Cutler, who this year produced a documentary that highlighted the plight of Indian acid attack victims.
The Wolves defender met women who featured in the film – called Not In Vain – at the Sheroes Hangout cafe in Agra which is run by acid attack victims.
The star has also visited the Yuwa Football Academy in Jharkhand, which works to combat child marriage and human trafficking through team sport and education.
He has been keeping fans up to date with his exploits out in India, posting a series of pictures on social media.
He said: “Unbelievable admiration for Sheroes Hangout – a charity set up to support the survivors of acid attacks in India.
“Today I visited and talked about ways we can support this great cause as featured in EntreprenHer documentary Not in Vain and raise awareness in the future.”
EntreprenHer is the production company which made Not in Vain, Cutler’s debut film which premiered in Birmingham earlier this year.
During the past week Batth has also overseen football training sessions with youngsters, met Indian politician and sports minister Vijay Goel to discuss Indian football and held a meeting with the India football team manager Stephen Constantine.
He hopes to one day play for the Indian national team, but is currently ineligible due to strict rules on dual nationality.
Batth said last week: “Hopefully my experience in England will be put to good use with a change in the rules of the Indian FA. I would love the opportunity to be available for selection.
“It would make all my family, friends and team-mates very proud.
“(It) is a possibility but it is a rule that would need amending. I could only take an Indian passport if the Indian national team meets the requirements in England to play for my club.”
Batth is no stranger to charity work. In December 2015 he hit the streets of Wolverhampton to sell copies of the Big Issue and raise awareness for the homeless.
The 26-year-old, from Brierley Hill, progressed through the academy as a youngster at Wolves before becoming a first-team regular in 2013. He was named club captain in 2014.
