barublogA quiet town drowned in silence.
Remember, the streets, once bustling with life, are now waterlogged and lined with mud-caked walls. A child stands barefoot at the doorstep of his flooded home, clutching a torn schoolbook. An elderly woman waits silently for help, her eyes scanning the horizon.
Soon, a convoy arrives a truck wrapped in the colors of compassion. Out step young volunteers in blue chunnis and turbans, their arms filled with supplies, their hearts filled with empathy. Among them are familiar faces students and teachers from Akal Academy, Himachal Pradesh.
When Humanity Rolls In
On August 20,2018, as flood-hit Kerala struggled to recover from one of its worst natural calamities, a 50-member relief team dispatched by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), joined by volunteers from Khalsa Aid and Akal Academy, Himachal Pradesh, arrived with a mission to serve, heal, and uplift without any expectation in return.
Led by SGPC executive member Bhagwant Singh, the team waded through knee-deep waters in North Paravur, Kuttanad, Cherai, Alapuzha, and Nedumbassery bringing hope for the peoples with their supplies.
Kits of Dignity – Door-to-Door Compassion
“Our relief work wasn’t just about handing over packages,” said Bhagwant Singh.
“It was about reaching each family personally.”
Volunteers distributed over 400 to 500 relief kits every day each one carefully packed with essentials like food, toiletries, and daily-use articles.
When they realized women and children needed clothes and undergarments a dedicated purchase team sourced the items from a nearby town and returned the same day to distribute them.
The charity was dignity in action.
Healing in Every Touch
Four dedicated doctors, including Dr. Harjit Singh, formed the medical wing of the team. Setting up base at Gurudwara Sahib, Thevara, they traveled across affected regions treating people who had endured immense physical and mental trauma.
“Most had waterborn diseases like skin infections, asthma, even heart complications,” Dr. Harjit shared. “But the most common afflictions were silent ones stress, fatigue, and loss.”
And yet, with every diagnosis came reassurance. With every medicine given, a prayer for strength.
Educating Amid Chaos
As the floodwaters receded, the focus shifted to recovery not just of homes, but of hopes. A second truck arrived carrying notebooks and study materials for children who had lost everything. Because education must continue, even when life pauses.
With over nine tones of supplies focused solely on students, Akal Academy and its partners ensured that children could restart their academic journeys without delay.
Sewa Without Boundaries
Whether it’s the devastating earthquake in Gujarat, the floods in Uttarakhand and Nepal, or now, Kerala the SGPC and Akal Academy volunteers have been there. Every time. For everyone.
“We do not differentiate between caste, creed, or geography,” says Bhagwant Singh. “Service is our only religion.”
Local Sikh communities played a vital role too, guiding the team to the most affected zones, supporting logistics, and sharing in the spirit of seva.
What This Teaches Us as Students
At Akal Academy, our classrooms are not limited to four walls. Sometimes, they stretch into the flood-hit alleys of Kerala. Sometimes, they are found in the face of a relieved mother or the smile of a child holding a new notebook.
This mission was more than a relief drive. It was a living lesson in empathy, action, teamwork, and the Sikh value of Sarbat da Bhala – welfare of all.
A Message to Fellow Students:
Let us rise beyond marks and medals. Let us strive for meaning.
Let this story remind you that you don’t have to wait to grow up to make a difference. Wherever there is pain, you can be healing. Wherever there is loss, you can bring light.
Because you, too, are part of this legacy of compassion.
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