A woman’s mission for a warmer Gurugram

Born and brought up in Gurugram, Roshy saw the city transformed into a gleaming corporate hub, however, she also noticed another, quieter change, the rising number of people living on its streets.

On chilly winter nights when the city slows down, 29-year-old Roshy Chhillar, wellness enthusiast and long-distance runner is often on her way towards flyovers, railway stations, bus stands and shelter homes carrying flasks of hot tea, warm clothes and blankets.

Roshy Chhillar distributing blankets at a shelter home in Gurugram on Thursday. (Parveen Kumar/HT Photo)

According to Roshy, her journey into social service began in New York, where she pursued both her undergraduate and master’s degrees. There, she encountered a culture of organised compassion where during harsh winters, emergency shelters and warming centres opened their doors round the clock. Outreach teams distributed blankets, coats, socks and hand warmers. Faith-based and community groups served hot meals and ensured medical help reached those who needed it. Ordinary citizens volunteered, donated supplies and checked in on people sleeping on the streets.

“It wasn’t charity driven by sympathy alone,” Roshy said. “It was structured, consistent and dignified. It showed me that cities can grow without forgetting their most vulnerable.”

Born and brought up in Gurugram, Roshy saw the city transformed into a gleaming corporate hub, however, she also noticed another, quieter change, the rising number of people living on its streets. Gurugram today has around 10 shelter homes with a daily footfall of hundreds. While the administration provides food and bedding, she said, she felt something essential was still missing.

“Shelter is important, but so is feeling human,” she said. “I wanted them to feel seen, to feel that someone cared enough to return.”

After returning from the US three years ago, she started distributing hot tea and blankets in winters along with her family. Roshy said she now visits formal shelter homes along with informal night halts under flyovers, near bus stands and railway stations.

Roshy said she carries warm clothes, checks on people’s health, and offers medicines when required. “If someone needs medical attention, doctor consultations are arranged. I earmark a fixed portion of my salary exclusively for this work,” she says.

According to Roshy, over time, faces have become familiar. “Sometimes, they don’t need advice or money. They just need someone to listen,” she said.

“Gurugram gave me education, safety and opportunity. If more people can feel this city is home, even for a night, it’s worth it,” she says.

(Roshy Chhillar is a DLF Phase 4 resident and Director of Landmark Group)