Close X
Sunday, March 2, 2025
ADVT 
India

Chandigarh man who fed thousands of hungry people for decades passes away

Darpan News Desk IANS, 29 Nov, 2021 12:27 PM
  • Chandigarh man who fed thousands of hungry people for decades passes away

Chandigarh, Nov 29 (IANS) A self-made billionaire, who fed tens of thousands of hungry people with a fresh vegetarian meal everyday with his own funds outside the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) here, passed away on Monday at the age of 86.

Popularly known as 'langar baba', Jagdish Lal Ahuja, who was battling cancer, had been serving free food in the langar -- the practice of a free community kitchen and open to all -- across Chandigarh since 1981.

For his philanthropic service to the community at large, he was conferred the Padma Shri last year.

Since 2001, he had been organising a community kitchen daily initially outside the PGI Hospital since 2001. Later, he started it at the Government Medical College and Hospital in Sector 32 too. The langar serves fresh vegetarian meals in the afternoon and late evening.

Every day, food was served to around 2,000 - 2,500 individuals, but on special occasions, that number ccould go as high as 4,000. Even the pandemic had not halted his routine community kitchens. Individuals wait in a queue to get the food.

In 2015, he sold his seventh property worth Rs 1.5 crore to arrange money to offer meals to anyone who shows up.

He was 12 when he left Peshawar and reached India during 1947 partition. After staying in refugee camps initially in Patiala and Amritsar, he finally moved to Chandigarh at the age of 21 and started selling fruits.

Later, he had a roaring business of bananas, known as the "banana king".

About starting the noble gesture of serving the poor, Ahuja was quoted as saying, "At my son's eighth birthday, I decided to celebrate it by organising a 'langar' for children. When I saw the joy on the faces of the children, it reminded me of my childhood. I then decided to organise 'langar' every day."

"Since then, I am holding the 'langar' without a miss."

His afternoon and evening 'langars', which are desperately awaited by the poor and even patients' attendants at both the city's prominent hospitals, serve 'dal', 'chapatti', rice, 'halwa' and a banana.

Also, he served biscuits to cancer patients and toffees, lollipops and balloons to children.

Condoling his demise, Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi said: "His selfless gesture of providing free food and medicines to poor and needy at the PGIMER will ever inspire others for such noble service."

Even on the day of his death, the langar service continued as per his wish.

With prayers on lips and wet eyes, the poor and patients' attendants wished the continuation of the selfless service even in his absence and they believe he will remain in their hearts forever for his selfless service.

MORE India ARTICLES

BJP cites Amarinder's comments to attack Sidhu, Gandhi family

BJP cites Amarinder's comments to attack Sidhu, Gandhi family
The BJP, which had been politically attacking Amarinder Singh in the last several years, has launched blistering attacks against Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu and the Congress high command (Gandhi family) with the help of Amarinder Singh's recent comments against Sidhu and the Congress.

BJP cites Amarinder's comments to attack Sidhu, Gandhi family

Punjab CM again called to Delhi over cabinet expansion

Punjab CM again called to Delhi over cabinet expansion
Rahul Gandhi met Channi along with the party's Punjab in-charge Harish Rawat and General Secretary K.C. Venugopal late on Thursday. Before that, Rahul held a separate meeting with Rawat.

Punjab CM again called to Delhi over cabinet expansion

Tewari is new Punjab Chief Secretary

Tewari is new Punjab Chief Secretary
According to orders, he would also be the Principal Secretary, Personnel and Vigilance, besides Financial Commissioner, Development, and Principal Secretary, Food Processing, Horticulture and Governance Reforms and Public Grievances.

Tewari is new Punjab Chief Secretary

Keep farmers' agitation above politics, Akalis ask Rajewal

Keep farmers' agitation above politics, Akalis ask Rajewal
Senior SAD leaders Prem Singh Chandumajra, Maheshinder Grewal and Daljit Cheema on Tuesday said it was most unfortunate that even after admitting that some wrong elements wanted to defame the 'kisan sangharsh', Rajewal had neither secured an unconditional apology from those guilty of hooliganism nor subjected them to the process of law.

Keep farmers' agitation above politics, Akalis ask Rajewal

US visit an occasion to strengthen strategic partnership: Modi

US visit an occasion to strengthen strategic partnership: Modi
The Prime minister further said that the visit would be an occasion to consolidate relations with our strategic partners - Japan and Australia - and to take forward our collaboration on important global issues. In a departure statement, the Prime Minister said he will be visiting the US from September 22-25 at the invitation of President Joe Biden.

US visit an occasion to strengthen strategic partnership: Modi

WHO chief thanks India for resuming Covid vaccine export

WHO chief thanks India for resuming Covid vaccine export
The Director-General of WHO Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that it is an important development in support of reaching the 40 per cent vaccination target in all countries by the end of this year.

WHO chief thanks India for resuming Covid vaccine export