His Highness Maharaja Gaj Singh II of Marwar - Jodhpur Supports Smile Train India as Goodwill Ambassador

- 39th Maharaja of the erstwhile princely state of Jodhpur, HH Maharaja Gaj Singh shows support for children with clefts

JODHPUR, India, Jan. 20, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Smile Train, the world's largest cleft charity, announced His Highness Maharaja Gaj Singh of the erstwhile princely state of Jodhpur as a Goodwill Ambassador for India. As Goodwill Ambassador, HH Maharaja Gaj Singh will actively support Smile Train India to raise awareness for children with clefts and the free treatment available through Smile Train's local partner hospitals.

Often called the saviour of Rajasthan's royal heritage, the Maharaja is an active philanthropist. HH Maharaja Gaj Singh shared, "Growing up in the royal family, privilege was never taken for granted. Giving back to society was integral to the way we were raised. Children are the future of the country and I believe investing in their health is critical to our country's development. Smile Train India has been doing commendable work across India for the lesser known and often ignored cause of cleft lip and palate. I will be able to assist in drawing more attention to the myths and taboos around this subject in India and help Smile Train reach more children."

HH Maharaja Gaj Singh recently supported Smile Train's unique initiative, The Smile Torch, at a series of events organized by Smile Train partner hospitals, RajDadiji Hospital and Goyal Hospital in Jodhpur, where Smile Train India has supported 3,000 cleft surgeries so far.

"The support of a distinguished and internationally well-respected community figure like HH Maharaja Gaj Singh, whose passion extends beyond appreciation, is a privilege for Smile Train's India team. His philanthropic work in India has been very extensive and we are grateful to be the beneficiaries of his generosity. We welcome His Highness Maharaja Gaj Singh as our Goodwill Ambassador and thank him for his support and commitment to help children with clefts," said Mamta Carroll, Vice President & Regional Director-Asia, Smile Train.

About Smile Train

Smile Train empowers local medical professionals with training, funding, and resources to provide free cleft surgery and comprehensive cleft care to children globally. We advance a sustainable solution and scalable global health model for cleft treatment, drastically improving children's lives, including their ability to eat, breathe, speak, and ultimately thrive. To learn more about how Smile Train's India's sustainable approach, please visit smiletrainindia.org. In India, it is estimated that more than 35,000 babies are born with a cleft lip and/or palate every year, and hundreds of thousands of children globally live with untreated clefts. Cleft treatment is safe and the transformation is immediate. Smile Train provides training, funding and resources to medical professionals to provide 100%-free cleft surgery and comprehensive cleft care in their own communities. 

Smile Train has supported 600,000+ free cleft surgeries in India through a network of 150+ partner hospitals across the country. Providing safe surgery and comprehensive cleft care for children at scale is critical, as Smile Train looks to continue to expand their programs and reach out to every child in need of cleft care.

Toll Free Cleft Helpline: 1800 103 8301

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