A heartbroken teenager took a vow one night amid the pandemic that is now taking the shape of a beacon for millions of others to not lose a precious life in the darkness.
A few days back, Inspector General of Police Udaipur Range, Mr Ajay Pal Lamba, shared a video of Khushi Pandey, that has since gone viral on social media.
People just could not “not be inspired” by the young social worker standing by the roadside with a placard in hand, waiting to stop and install lights on bicycles passing by along a busy highway in the Uttar Pradesh capital Lucknow.
The 2005 batch IPS officer of Rajasthan cadre, Mr. Lamba wrote, “Put lights on the bicycle. A great work done by Khushi. She installs over 1,500 free lights on cycles after losing grandfather in road accident.”
That insight into the 21-year-old’s action immediately touched a string in everyone’s hearts. The Lucknow girl, who was only 18 at the time when her 56-year-old grandfather lost his life when his bicycle was hit in the darkness as no one could have seen him biking, took a vow to do all she could to wipe out the darkness, even if it were with a small light.
In the video, shared by Mr Lamba, Khushi is seen stopping the riders and installing a red light on their cycle’s front and rear. The video narrates Khushi’s sad tale and how she got inspired. The bikers, the elderlies shower blessings on Khushi, while the young ones are amazed and grateful.
Three years back, Khushi’s grandfather was returning home from the shop in dense fog, when he was hit by a car as the driver could not see him. The tragedy inspired Khushi to take up this particular social service. Ever since, Khushi has been running the ‘Project Ujala’, and has installed more than 1,500 lights in cycles free of cost. So nobody loses a loved one as she did. “What a great way to remember him,” say netizens who hail her spirit and devotion.
Khushi is often seen holding a placard along many Lucknow streets that says ‘Cycle Pe Light Lagwalo’ (Put lights on cycles). People are appreciating this effort of Khushi on social media and her videos are winning hearts of netizens.
Every year, more than 1.5 lakh people die in road accidents in India. As per statistics available, there are 1,130 accidents and 422 deaths every day or 47 accidents and 18 deaths every hour. These figures are bound to scare anyone. However, initiatives like Khushi’s along with the government’s will help to reduce these numbers in future.
