The unfortunate demise of popular bhel puri seller Sunil Sethi, fondly referred to as Pinki uncle by students of Delhi University, has left a void in the varsity’s North Campus. His cart, stationed near evening building of Campus Law Centre, has been a favourite landmark for almost 40 years.
“The ₹60 plate of bhel puri will now never taste the same,” rues Nikhil Singla, a second year student of BA (Prog) English and Political Science at Kirori Mal College, lamenting, “Pinky uncle passed away on November 17, and since then I’m getting flashes of his humorous nature and funny remarks, which I would register every time I went to grab a plate of bhel in between my classes. His nature was as tangy as the bhel puri he served.”
Filled with emotions Mantasha Khan, a first-year student of BSc (Hons) Zoology, at Hansraj College, says, “Recently, my test didn’t go well, and after that I went to Sunil uncle’s stall with my friends. He probably noticed my sadness and cracked jokes that instantly uplifted my mood! He just had a way with words and knew all of us so well that I doubt if his expertise was only in whipping tasty bhel.”
{{/usCountry}}Filled with emotions Mantasha Khan, a first-year student of BSc (Hons) Zoology, at Hansraj College, says, “Recently, my test didn’t go well, and after that I went to Sunil uncle’s stall with my friends. He probably noticed my sadness and cracked jokes that instantly uplifted my mood! He just had a way with words and knew all of us so well that I doubt if his expertise was only in whipping tasty bhel.”
{{/usCountry}}Adding to this, Nikita, a PhD aspirant and an alumna of MA in English from Faculty of Arts, says, “I didn’t quite like attending classes and would often be found at Pinki aka Sunil uncle’s stall. As a street food lover, I was glad to be introduced to him and his stall as not just his bhel puri was great but so was his sassy personality. When I first met him, he joked that half a plate of bhel puri would cost ₹70 and full plate ₹60. I believed him for a second, but later cracked up! My college memories will never be complete without a mention of him.”
Story by Mehak Talwar