- Sikh father-daughter duo honored for decade-long humanitarian service.
- Langar Aid served over a million meals in Coventry.
- Received Good Citizen Award from Coventry City Council.
A Sikh-father-daughter duo has been awarded the Good Citizen Award by the Coventry City Council for their decade-long commitment to help people facing hunger and hardship. Founders of Langar Aid in Coventry, Inderjit Jugdy and Avtar Kaur, started serving meals outside the city’s job centre in 2016. Inspired by the Sikh tradition of langar, ten years on, they serve more than 20,000 meals a week. "When we started, we didn't think it would grow into such a massive project, but it really has surprised us and inspired us to carry on," the ecstatic father told the BBC.
The Langar Aid is a part of the Khalsa Aid International, which is a humanitarian organisation providing support to vulnerable people irrespective of their faith, background, and circumstances.
How Did It Start?
Following the tradition of langar, the father-daughter extended the concept to help people at the city job centre. Talking to BBS, Kaur said, “What started with family and friends preparing meals at home has since expanded far beyond its original ambitions.”
Their motivation has been the same; to serve people in need and offer them a sense of belonging. "At its heart, the motivation has always remained the same, to serve humanity with compassion, dignity and no discrimination, offering not just food but a sense of care and human connection to those who need it most," Kaur added. Now at the age of 70, Inderjit Jugdy has lost count of meals they have served over the past decade.
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What Is The Good Citizen Award?
A Good Citizen Award is a widely used title for awards given by schools, local governments, civic organizations, and police departments to honor individuals for their remarkable work for the community.
Presenting the award to the father-daughter duo, Coventry's Lord Mayor, Roger Bailey, said that they have made a lasting difference to several people’s lives. He added, “For more than a decade they have devoted their time, energy and compassion to supporting people facing hardship, ensuring that thousands of residents have had access to food, support and a sense of belonging when they needed it most”.