Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar has a new mission these days - to "bring a smile on the faces of children who are deprived of sunshine".

As the newly appointed Olympics' brand ambassador for the mentally challenged, Akshay takes his job very seriously.

"There's nothing shameful about being psychologically challenged. Such people need to live their lives normally. Because they're normal people.

"There're 30 million mentally challenged people in India. Of these 95 percent live their lives in anonymity. Their own parents and families treat them as shameful secrets. That's so wrong."

Akshay had enthusiastically taken up the challenge of the new job, which some of his Bollywood colleagues had reportedly declined.

"We should learn from them, rather than the other way. We take so many things for granted.

"I remember seeing the 2000 Olympics in Atlanta where eight such special athletes were running for a 100-metre race. When one of them fell down, the other seven stopped short in their tracks, came and picked him up, and re-started the race again. Such people are more focussed, gentle and humble than us."

"Such a child from Uttar Pradesh went to the Olympics and won a gold medal and 500,000 rupees ($11,400). The family had never seen such money. So who's intellectually disabled? The boy or the family that keeps him away from the routine world? I don't want such children to be referred to as disabled. I want them to be known as athletes," says Akshay Kumar emotionally.

"We've 24 branches all over India where such children can develop their sporting skills."

"Every country has a brand ambassador. And our boss is Arnold Schwarzenegger. Now the winter Olympics is in February in Japan. I'll be going with my team. They're already in Kulu-Manali (in Himachal Pradesh) practising for the event. I don't know why others refused to do it. For me, this responsibility is a great privilege.

"Every child has a special quality. It's our duty to find that quality. I've come across such gifted children who are supposed to be intellectually challenged.

"One such child mimicked me so effectively. I've never seen a better mimic. Give them a chance to come into their own."

Akshay intends to devote a chunk of his time to this cause.

"The important thing is to urge parents to let such special children come out in the open. Of those 95 percent intellectually challenged children who are hidden away, I hope to bring out a small percent every year. That would make me happy.

"I'm not doing this to get gold medals. I just want such children to be recognized as normal human beings.

"Let's hug them, not hide them."