Jagdish Lal Ahuja

Jagdish Lal Ahuja, popularly known as Langar Baba, is a social worker from Chandigarh, India. He is known for offering free meals for hungry and poor people.[1][2] In 2020, he was awarded the Padma Shri, fourth highest civilian award of India, for his contributions in social work.[3]

Early life

Ahuja migrated to India from Peshawar at the age of 20 following the Partition of India. His family took refuge in Patiala and then in Amritsar and Mansa.[4]

Social work

Ahuja has been serving the poor and hungery people by organising Langar daily for 2500 people.[5] He started organising langar at the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh in January 2000 when he was admitted there for treatment of cancer. He later offered free meals at the Government Medical College and Hospital, sector 32, Chandigarh as well.[1]

As of 2020, he is 85 years old and he has been offering free meals to people for last 19 years.[6][3] He sold a chunk of his 36 acres farm, a 9 acre farm, a plot of one kanal in Panchkula and a couple of showrooms to fund the free meals.[1]

Recognition

Ahuja was conferred the Padma Shri, fourth highest civilian award of India, in the field of social work on 26 January 2020.[4]

References
  1. Service, Tribune News. "Padma Shri for 'Langar Baba', PGI doc". Tribuneindia News Service. Retrieved 2020-01-27.
  2. "पंजाब के लंगर बाबा को मिलेगा पद्म श्री अवार्ड, पिछले 38 वर्षों से रोजाना बांट रहे लंगर". punjabkesari. 2020-01-26. Retrieved 2020-01-27.
  3. "Chandigarh PGIMER doctor, 'langar baba' on Padma Shri list". Hindustan Times. 2020-01-26. Retrieved 2020-01-27.
  4. Sehgal, Manjeet (January 26, 2020). "Hawker turned social worker gets Padma Shri award for running free kitchen for poor in Chandigarh". India Today. Retrieved 2020-01-27.
  5. Jain, Bharti; Jan 26, Dipak K. Dash | TNN |; 2020; Ist, 9:05. "Padma Awards 2020: 'Langar baba', elephant conservationist among unsung heroes who bagged Padma Shri | India News - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 2020-01-27.CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  6. "UP's Langar Baba, 'Encyclopedia of Forest' Among 118 Personalities to Get Padma Shri Award". News18. Retrieved 2020-01-27.
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