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Australian Of The Day:
Darwin's Tejinder Singh

HUFFINGTON POST

 

 

 





Melbourne, Australia

Tejinder Singh, a Sikh-Aussie cab driver, is being celebrated in Australia for his efforts to feed hungry residents in the city of Darwin on the last Sunday of every month over the past three years.

A report from the local news station, Nine News Darwin, said that Tejinder Singh cooks several kilos of rice and vegetarian curry after wrapping up his shift at seven on Sunday morning, and then he and his son, Navdeep Singh, deliver the food all around the city.

Tejinder cooks up 30 kg of Punjabi cuisine to feed the homeless after his night shift. The free lunch that Tejinder and Navdeep offer comprises chickpeas, rice and vegetarian curry.

"When I do something good, I've get much energy. I say I'm doing something for homeless people, so they give me more energy, so I'm happy," said Tejinder, who also works as an air conditioner mechanic.

"My religion says 10 percent of income goes towards needy and poor people no matter they belong to your religion or any religion," he said.

The van which Tejinder drives around Darwin to deliver free food, has a sign offering free food ‘for hungry and needy people.’

Tejinder has been named "Australian of the Day," an initiative sponsored by The Commonwealth Bank, which has sent eight photographers to capture the lives of ordinary Australians doing extraordinary work.

The Commonwealth Bank has sponsored the ‘Australian of the Year’ Awards for over 35 years, recognising extraordinary Australians who have made a big difference to the country.

Tejinder was recognised as "Australian of the Day" on August 5, 2015 but his story has also garnered a great deal of attention around the world over the past few days.

Rejecting monetary support from his supporters, Tejinder has encouraged others to begin their own food drives.

“The van, the pots, anyone can use them. It’s for mankind," he said.


[Courtesy: Huffington Post, PTI. Edited for sikhchic.com]
September 1, 2015

Conversation about this article

1: Rup Singh (Canada), September 01, 2015, 1:49 PM.

Gursikh indeed. Two jobs, a family, and finds time to cook and deliver langar to those who need it. Offers his van and pots for others free of charge. Amazing, inspiring, humbling ... Sikhi at work for the fellow man. May Waheguru always keep you in Chardi Kalaa.

2: Harpreet Singh (India), September 01, 2015, 1:53 PM.

Really proud of such gursikhs. They follow Sikhi to its fullest by helping the needy. Marvelous. Reminds me of S. Bhagwant Singh ji Dilawari who quit a high government post to serve leprosy patients.

3: Sangat Singh (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia), September 01, 2015, 7:54 PM.

As a child growing in Lyallpur (now in Punjab, Pakistan), a Bhai ji with a wicker basket would come daily in the early afternoon and would quietly chant “Waheguru Satnam” and it would be a signal for my elder sisters to run out and put a couple of first freshly baked rotis from the tandoor into the basket ... all of this, before we were allowed to eat. Although practically every gurdwara has a langar, there are some smaller gurdwaras where cooked food is received from different households to support the langar. In Guru Har Rai Sahib's time, Sikhs were regularly sent out to see that there was no one who went to sleep hungry. I remember the Sikh prayer seeking from Waheguru the gift of “Loh langar tapde rehan” - 'May the hot plates ever remain in service of the Guru.' Tejinder Singh ji, you have yet raised another flag in Guru’s service by providing a mobile langar. May Waheguru bless you.

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Darwin's Tejinder Singh"









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