Unsung Heroes

Ordinary Indians whose work for others deserves more attention, each story linked to its original report.

Uttar Pradesh · 15 Jan 2022

Rampur man Aslam Beg arranges cremation of his Hindu rakhi sister

Aslam Beg paid for Yashodha Devi's last rites at Garhmukteshwar after a 15-year bond across faiths.

Aslam Beg, a Muslim man from Moondha Pandey village near Rampur in Uttar Pradesh, arranged the cremation of his Hindu rakhi sister Yashodha Devi in October 2014. The widow died of illness on the day he was due to visit her for Bhai Dooj. Her relatives planned the cremation locally, but Aslam took the body to Garhmukteshwar and paid all costs. Her last rites were held on the Ganga bank. He had earlier arranged a house for her family.

Read full story at Ummid.com

Unsung Heroes

Delhi · 15 Jan 2022

Manju Mausi says she was ready to die for Muslim neighbour

A Hindu woman in Delhi protected her Muslim neighbour during the 2020 riots and spoke to Mojo Story about it.

A Hindu woman known as Manju Mausi protected her Muslim neighbour during the 2020 riots in northeast Delhi, and later spoke about it to the news platform Mojo Story. In the video interview, she says she was prepared to die while helping him, because that was better than living in fear. She chose to stand by her neighbour while violence spread through parts of northeast Delhi, even though it put her own safety at risk.

Read full story at Mojo Story

Unsung Heroes

Uttarakhand · 15 Jan 2022

Sikh police officer Gagandeep Singh shields Muslim youth from mob

Sub-inspector Gagandeep Singh used his own body to protect a 24-year-old man from a crowd near a temple in Ramnagar.

Sub-inspector Gagandeep Singh of Uttarakhand Police protected a 24-year-old Muslim man named Irfan from a mob near a temple in Ramnagar on 22 May 2018. Singh, 28, was on duty at Ganga Dussehra when the crowd attacked Irfan, who had come to meet a Hindu woman. Singh shielded him with his body and led him away, while a woman officer took her out by another exit. A video of the incident spread widely, and police announced a reward for Singh.

Read full story at Gulf News

Unsung Heroes

Delhi · 15 Jan 2022

Hindu neighbour Sanjiv saved Mujibur Rehman during Delhi riots

Sanjiv risked his life when his Muslim neighbour's house was attacked and set on fire in February 2020.

Sanjiv, a Hindu resident of northeast Delhi, saved his Muslim neighbour Mujibur Rehman when Rehman's house was attacked and set on fire during the riots of February 2020. Mojo Story tracked Sanjiv down after an earlier report on Rehman and released his interview on 27 February 2020. The reporting team spent a full day searching for him. In the video, Sanjiv broke down and said he had since received death threats for saving a life.

Read full story at Mojo Story

Unsung Heroes

All India · 15 Jan 2022

Mumbai-born Muslim police officer heads security at Indianapolis Hindu temple

Lt Javed Khan, raised in Lonavla, looks after safety at the largest Hindu temple in Indianapolis.

Lt Javed Khan, a Mumbai-born Muslim officer with the local police in Indianapolis, US, is director of security at the city's largest Hindu temple, PTI reported. Khan grew up in Lonavla near Pune and moved to the US in 2000, settling in Indiana a year later. He holds an eighth-degree black belt in taekwondo and is a kickboxing champion. He is at the temple every Sunday and sometimes on Friday nights.

Read full story at Gulf News (PTI)

Unsung Heroes

Kerala · 15 Jan 2022

Kerala priest donates kidney to Muslim woman from Thrissur

Father Shibu Kuttiparichel of Wayanad gave a kidney to Kairunnissa after her own mother turned out not to be a match.

Father Shibu Kuttiparichel, 39, of Cheengery St Mary's Jacobite Syrian Church in Wayanad, Kerala, donated a kidney to Kairunnissa, a 29-year-old Muslim woman from Thrissur, hospital authorities said in December 2016. She had lived with kidney disease for four years and needed repeated dialysis. Her mother was willing to donate but was not a match. The priest's blood group matched, and the transplant was done at a private hospital. Both were reported to be doing well.

Read full story at Zee News

Unsung Heroes

Uttar Pradesh · 15 Jan 2022

Lucknow youth who saved cow from 60-foot well honoured

A young Muslim carpenter from Aishbagh went down a deep well to rescue a cow and was felicitated by officials.

In October 2015, a young Muslim carpenter from Aishbagh in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, climbed down a 60-foot-deep well to rescue a cow that had fallen in. He hurt his leg during the rescue. Three days later, the Lucknow district administration honoured him for his bravery. Senior officials gave him an appreciation certificate and a bouquet. They also recommended help from the chief minister's discretionary fund for his father's medical treatment.

Read full story at Hindustan Times

Unsung Heroes

Karnataka · 15 Jan 2022

HMG Basha donates land for Hanuman temple in Hosakote village

The 65-year-old transport businessman gave 1.5 guntas worth up to Rs 1 crore so the small temple could be expanded.

HMG Basha, a 65-year-old Bengaluru transport businessman, donated 1.5 guntas of family land to a Hanuman temple at Valagerepura in Hosakote taluk, Bengaluru Rural, as reported in December 2020. The land, beside Old Madras Road, is valued between Rs 80 lakh and Rs 1 crore. Villagers had asked for one gunta, but Basha offered more after seeing devotees short of space. The temple trust plans to rebuild the shrine for about Rs 1 crore.

Read full story at The News Minute

Unsung Heroes

Telangana · 15 Jan 2022

Hyderabad constables hold down prayer mats during Eid namaz

Two Kalapathar police constables kept wind from scattering worshippers' mats during Eid-ul-Fitr prayers in Hyderabad.

Two constables from Kalapathar Police Station, Venkatesh Naik and V Pratap Singh, helped worshippers at Eidgah Mir Alam in Hyderabad during Eid-ul-Fitr prayers in June 2017. The crowd was praying on the road using cardboard sheets, which the wind kept blowing away. The two men put the sheets back in place, and Naik placed his uniform cap on one to hold it down. A citizen sent the video to Hyderabad City Police and it was widely shared.

Read full story at Scroll

Unsung Heroes

Maharashtra · 15 Jan 2022

Mumbai schoolgirl Maryam Siddiqui wins ISKCON Bhagavad Gita contest

The 12-year-old from Mira Road topped an inter-school Gita test, saying humanity is the ultimate religion.

Maryam Asif Siddiqui, a 12-year-old Class VI student of Cosmopolitan High School in Mira Road, Mumbai, won first prize in ISKCON's Gita Champions League in 2015. She scored full marks in the 100-mark test held in January, competing with over 4,500 students from 195 schools. She prepared for about a month with ISKCON material and help from teacher Sapna Brahmandkar. Her father Asif said the family respects all religions.

Read full story at Gulf News

Unsung Heroes

Madhya Pradesh · 15 Jan 2022

Razzak Khan performs Hindu last rites of friend Santosh Singh in Baitul

When his friend's family could not afford a funeral, Razzak stayed by him and cremated him with Hindu rites.

Razzak Khan, a Muslim man, performed the last rites of his Hindu friend Santosh Singh, who lived in Baitul district of Madhya Pradesh, after Santosh died on 20 September 2015. Santosh had been seriously ill with a heart condition, and his family did not have money for a proper funeral. Razzak stayed with his friend until the end and then cremated him following Hindu rituals. The two had been friends for many years.

Read full story at The Better India

Unsung Heroes

Maharashtra · 15 Jan 2022

How IPS officer Suresh Khopade’s mohalla committees kept Bhiwandi peaceful

Neighbourhood committees of Hindus and Muslims, set up by police in 1988, helped Bhiwandi avoid deaths in the 1992-93 riots.

Suresh Khopade, posted as DCP in Bhiwandi near Mumbai in 1988, set up 70 mohalla committees of about 50 members each, roughly half Hindu and half Muslim. Led by constables, they met fortnightly in neighbourhoods to settle small disputes over water, garbage and family matters. His successor Gulabrao Pol continued them. During the December 1992 to January 1993 riots, when Mumbai saw heavy loss of life, Bhiwandi recorded no deaths.

Read full story at The Better India

Unsung Heroes

One good story every morning