E-Paper
Remembering his father, man arranges Haji Ali pilgrimage for tempo driver!
Pankaj Rizwani, a social activist, arranges air tickets for Sajjan Ali as tribute to his late father
June 30. It is the day which a tempo driver Sajjan Ali will never forget in his lifetime. It was on this day when a young man approached him with air tickets to Mumbai to offer chadar at the Haji Ali Dargah shrine.
The young man, Pankaj Rizwani who is a social activist and a cancer survivor himself, arranged the trip as a unique tribute to his father whom he lost two years ago. Still unable to come to terms with the loss, he observed his father’s second death anniversary by funding the air travel for Ali.
“My father always wanted to help the poor. With this small attempt to fulfil the dream of Ali, I hope it will give peace to my father’s soul,” Pankaj said.
Belonging to Sangam city known for its Ganga-Jamuni culture, Pankaj himself approached Ali and offered him air tickets to Mumbai and even gave him ‘chadar’ to offer at Haji Ali Dargah on the second death anniversary of his father Sewak Ram who breathed his last on June 30, 2021 due to heart attack.
“My father never travelled in a plane. However, he always wished to travel by air someday. Before I could fulfil his wish, he left for his heavenly abode. My father always helped the poor and those suffering from financial crisis” he said.
Thus, Pankaj decided to help a poor man travel through airplane. After a massive search, he learnt about Sajjan Ali who lived on the city outskirts and worked as tempo driver to support his family of eight.
Pankaj himself approached Ali at his home. At first Ali thought that it was some kind of a joke, but was overjoyed when he learnt that he was indeed going to travel to Mumbai through flight.
Pankaj even gave an android phone to Sajjan Ali for clicking photographs and a chadar to be offered at Haji Ali Dargah. When Pankaj reached Ali’s home on June 30 with air tickets, locals assembled there and appreciated his kind act.
Pankaj even dropped Sajjan Ali to airport.
“I have seen airplanes only in the sky and never imagined even in my dreams that one day I will sit in an airplane. Moreover, going to Mumbai to visit Haji Ali Dargah was one of my longtime wishes which is now going to be fulfilled,” said Ali.
Pankaj has been helping poor cancer patients for a long time and has been honoured for his services multiple times.
