Selfless service in Punjab

WHEN calamity strikes, it is often Punjabis who rush to the frontlines. The current floods in the state, which have left more than three lakh people affected and farmland submerged across 23 districts, once again revealed the instinctive solidarity of the people. Long before official convoys arrived, villagers launched boats into raging waters, rescuing neighbours, children and livestock. Langar kitchens were lit, makeshift shelters set up and rations shared without hesitation. This spirit is not new. Punjabis have earned a reputation as “first responders” not only in their own land but in disaster zones across the world — from earthquakes in Turkey to floods in Kerala. Organisations such as Khalsa Aid, United Sikhs, Hemkunt Foundation and countless local gurdwaras mobilised swiftly this year, delivering food, water, medicine and fodder. Volunteers in Gurdaspur and Kapurthala waded through waist-deep water to evacuate the vulnerable, while veterinary teams cared for stranded cattle in rural areas.