Key Points
- Tejinder Pal Singh turned a racist encounter into a selfless act to feed the hungry.
- The Darwin-based taxi driver uses his own savings to provide free meals to the needy.
- He attributes his generosity to his Sikh faith.
Tejinder Pal Singh is a familiar face on the streets of Darwin, where strangers often approach him in need of food.
An AC mechanic during the day and taxi driver over the weekend, Mr Singh has spent every last Sunday of the month for the past 12 years cooking and distributing free vegetarian meals from his rickety food van to anyone in need.
Speaking to SBS Punjabi, he says helping the needy is more than just good charitable work for him.
“For me, this is a religious duty enshrined by the founder of the Sikh religion, Guru Nanak, who has taught us to vand chhako means to share one’s wealth with others, to give charity and distribute langar (free kitchen) in whichever capacity you can,” Mr Singh says.
‘A racist encounter changed my life’
Source: Supplied
He later moved to Darwin for better job prospects, when a racist encounter with a customer in his cab changed the course of his life.
“I will never forget that day. It was in 2012. I picked up a customer who took in my appearance and asked me which school my children were enrolled in.
“When I told him the name of the school, he said he would send his children to the same school as he believed I would not bomb an establishment that my children attended,” Mr Singh shares.
Tejinder Pal Singh with a group of volunteers. Credit: Supplied
“I was shaken beyond words. You see, Darwin, at the time, was isolated from the rest of Australia, and not many Sikh families lived here.
“So, I decided to start the food van with the sole purpose of creating awareness about my faith and to ensure no one was afraid of my beard and turban,” he says.
‘I am serving my faith’
Tejinder Pal Singh with his family. Credit: Supplied
It was because of this selfless act that he was featured as the 'Australian of the Day' in 2015, an initiative sponsored by the Commonwealth Bank, which captures the lives of ordinary Australians doing extraordinary work.
Two years later, he was awarded the prestigious Australian of the Year award from the Northern Territory and was also recognised as a local hero for his selfless service to families in quarantine during the two pandemic years.
“I have spent thousands of dollars over the past few years to carry out this work without anyone’s help. A lot of people call me to offer financial help, but that’s never been the motive, nor is my motive to become popular. I am simply serving my faith,” he says.
Mr Singh, who has recently registered his charity, was awarded a cash grant of $125,000 by the government to assist with his services.
Click on the audio player above to listen to this interview in Punjabi.
