Bollywood legend Amitabh Bachchan was the guest of honour at a reception hosted by British Prime Minister David Cameron’s wife, Samantha Cameron at their official residence for a charity initiative for diabetes.

The reception, held behind the famous black door of 10, Downing Street which has been home to the British Prime Ministers for over 275 years, was to mark the sixth anniversary of the Leicester-based charity ‘Silver Star’.

This is not the first time Bachchan has supported the charity. Last year, on the occasion of his 70th Birthday, Silver Star gave Amitabh a unique birthday present of a Mobile Diabetes Unit for the city of Mumbai.

The unit, which travels to the city’s most disadvantaged areas giving free diabetes tests, was named ‘Amitabh’ in recognition of his support.

Launched in 2007, Silver Star is a charity that campaigns to raise awareness of diabetes.

The charity has four Mobile Diabetes Units that carry out important diabetes testing and provide lifestyle and dietary advice.

The Units travel to local community centres, schools, embassies, work places and other organisations. Silver Star has so far tested over 35,000 people in the UK and India.

At the reception the charity announced plans for a 5th mobile unit for Birmingham in the West Midlands and a 6th for Delhi, to be named after Amitabh’s father and launched in 2014.

Prime Minister, David Cameron was also present at the reception among other notable supporters of the charity including the American civil rights leader, Reverend Jesse Jackson who is in London to mark the 50th Anniversary of the I have a dream Martin Luther King speech.

"Diabetes is a ticking time bomb. There are an estimated 62 million Indians with type-2 diabetes and by 2025 there will be almost 100 million with the condition," Keith Vaz MP, Founder Patron of Silver Star said.

The charity is truly privileged to be supported by the legend Amitabh Bachchan. We would not have been able to do this without Amitabh’s support, he said.

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