Mohammad Sharif gets the Padma Shri award, the fourth highest civilian honour in India, by the Indian government in 2020. The 83-year-old former bicycle mechanic Mohammad Sharif receive his award from the President Ram Nath Kovind at the Rashtrapati Bhawan on 8th November, 2021.
Popularly known as Sharif Chacha in Uttar Pradesh’s Ayodhya, the Padma Shri award turn up to perform the last rites of more than 25,000 unclaim dead bodies in the district over the last 30 years.
Padma Shri Mohammad Sharif took to social service in 1992 after a horrific incident where his son Raees was murder at the height of the communal tensions during the demolition of the Babri Masjid.
Mohammad Sharif’s son, a chemist, was on his way to Sultanpur when he became a victim of communal riots.
Padma Shri Mohammad Sharif’s son body was left near railway tracks where it lay unclaim and was devour by stray dogs.
Losing his son in this unimaginable manner, Padma Shri Mohammad Sharif starts going to police stations, mortuaries and railway stations to find unclaim dead bodies.
He then cremated or buried the dead, performing their last rites and giving the due respect to the departs.
Padma Shri Mohammad Sharif perform last rites for individuals across religions Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs and Christians.
The police would hand over dead bodies unclaim for 72 hours for cremation or burial to Padma Shri Mohammad Sharif.
The story of Padma Shri Mohammad Sharif and his noble acts soon spread far and wide.
Mohammad Sharif gets invitation as a guest on Satyamev Jayate, a popular TV show hosted by film star Amir Khan.
Padma Shri Mohammad Sharif was confer with the Padma Shri award in 2020 but had been unable to receive it as the ceremony was cancel last year due to the COVID-19 situation.
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