For his humanitarian efforts during the coronavirus crisis, Sonu Sood has been honoured by private airline SpiceJet by dedicating an aircraft livery for a Boeing 737. He is the first Indian actor to make it to the livery of a domestic airline.

The livery includes a picture of Sood with the text “A salute to the saviour Sonu Sood.”

Remember coming from Moga to Mumbai on an unreserved ticket.
Thank you everyone for all the love. Miss my parents more. @flyspicejet pic.twitter.com/MYipwwYReG

— sonu sood (@SonuSood) March 20, 2021

Sood said in a statement, “To be honest, I am quite taken aback by his huge honour. This is a really sweet and touching gesture on Spice Jet’s part and I am overwhelmed with such a lovely present. I hope that I can keep making everyone proud with my work. I am also thankful to Spice Jet for their effort of bringing back so many Indians from different parts of the world safely to their homeland during the pandemic.”

Sood first grabbed headlines for his philanthropy when he helped migrants working in big cities get home to their villages and towns after the government ordered a nationwide lockdown due to the pandemic. He provided transport and succour to them.

He later mortgaged his own property in Mumbai to raise Rs 10 crore to help the needy.

Sood wrote about his life and experiences in his memoir I Am No Messiah, which was published in late 2020.