With the detonation of India's prospects at the World Cup and the end of the competition itself, brands seem to have hopped onto the Kargil cause to hawk their products. While most have opted for donations minus frills, others have hitched it on to the sale of their products ranging from cellular airtime, television sets, computers, to motor cars and shirts.

S Ramakrishnan, Executive Secretary of the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan has some sobering advice to offer corporates. ``The appeal for funds should be absolutely unconditional and should not be mixed with sales of commodities. This is not the World Cup. Such appeals only diminish the value ofvoluntary contributions which are the patriotic duty every Indian.''

The Bhavan was the first to raise a call for funds, raising over Rs 40 lakh this month solely on the basis of its solemn appeals. Ramakrishnan says people have made contributions ranging from Rs 5 to Rs 5 lakhs for the Shaheed Parivar Raksha Nidhi, minus fuss. He adds that for such a noble cause like this, people will contribute without inducements.

Nikhil Chaturvedi, director of Acme clothing which manufactures Provogue shirts denies the Rs 50 a shirt gimmick is linked to sales promotion. ``I don't have to stoop to such levels, my shirts are selling anyway.'' He adds that it was only a step towards providing a platform for the unorganised fashion industry and for creating more awareness through the brand.

Weeks earlier, a television company listed the names of the dead soldiers and their family members. The deal was that Rs 100 from the sale of their TV sets would go towards the family of the dead.

On Sunday, cellular phone serviceprovider Maxtouch urged people to speak up for the lives lost at Kargil. The inducement to speak more was subtle. For every minute you spoke on the mobile, one rupee would go towards helping the family of the dead soldiers. This almost clouded a noble gesture on the part of Maxtouch employees to contribute a day's wages for the soldiers.

Bharat Kapadia, Vice Chairman of the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) feels this approach is flawed. ``Requests for contribution should not be linked with sales promotion gimmicks. Nobody should be taking undue advantage of the situation.''

Adman Sam Balsara of the ASCI feels there is nothing wrong with these sales. ``We live in a commerical world. It's better than not doing anything. The companies are trying to meet two objectives at the same time, increasing sales and contributing for the jawans.''

``I hate the idea of linking sales of consumer items to funding our soldiers. This is not an advertisement,'' says Lt Colonel Shyam Chavan (retd), abattle-scarred veteran of the 1962, 1965 and 1971 wars. ``Agreed that the money is going for a noble cause, do it quietly,'' he advises.