Anuj Bidve fundraising concert: Keith Vaz presents £20,000 to the family

Thursday, 20 September 2012 - 7:00am India News Bulletin Desk

Keith Vaz MP for Leicester East has presented a cheque for £20,000 to the parents of the murdered Indian student Anuj Bidve at the fundraising concert where British Asians and prominent Indian artists performed.

The remembrance event at the o2 featured performances by Indian artists including Bollywood actress Sonali Kulkarni, singers Suresh Wadkar and Hariharan as well as Bela Shende, Avdhut Gupte, Ajay-Atul and Swapnil Bandodkar.

The Anuj Bidve fundraising concern was also attended by his parents -- mother Yogini Bidve and father Subhash Bidve -- and notable members of the British Asian community.

23-year-old Bidve from Pune, a Lancaster University student, was shot dead in Salford on Boxing Day 2011 by Kiaran Stapleton (21).

In July, a Manchester crown court found Stapleton guilty of murdering Anuj. Stapleton will serve a minimum term of 30 years and then will be released only if he is not deemed to be a risk to the public.

Following his death, Lancaster University established the ‘Anuj Bidve Memorial Scholarship’ to award a student graduating from Pune University to study for an MSc in the Engineering department at Lancaster.

“The Bidve family has shown great dignity and grace throughout this sad time,” Vaz said. “The past nine months must have been unbearable for them.”

“Although I know the amount of money raised will never bring back their son, I hope it gives the family some comfort knowing that they have the full support of the British Asian community behind them,” Vaz added.