80-year-old woman inspires people as she travels from Kolkata to Delhi to feed the needy

Amid the ongoing crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic, an elderly widow traveled all the way from Kolkata to the national capital to serve meals to the needy. The 87-year-old lady, Usha Gupta, who lost her spouse to COVID-19, has established a charity endeavor to offer meals to those in need to assist them. 

Usha Gupta has proved that age is not a limit if one wants to help others. In the previous month, this elderly widow has served over 65,000 meals to individuals, an average of 2,500 meals per day, in slum areas in Delhi and with the aid of NGOs in Kolkata. 

It all started when Usha Gupta and her husband Raj Kumar visited their daughters in Delhi during the second wave of COVID-19. She and her spouse were both afflicted with the virus shortly. Usha Gupta recovered, but her 93-year-old husband succumbed to the illness. After her husband’s death, she realised the importance of assisting COVID-19-affected individuals and families. 

How did it all start

After having a conversation with her granddaughter Dr. Radhika Batra, who runs the non-profit institute of 'Every Infant Matters,' the octogenarian began producing pickles and selling them. With the assistance of NGOs in Delhi and Kolkata, she started using that money to feed the poor and needy households. 

While discussing the incident with ANI, Gupta said that when she and her husband were receiving treatment at a hospital in the national capital, she saw many individuals were in serious need. 

According to ANI, Gupta said, "When I and my husband were admitted to the hospital in April, I saw so many helpless people begging for help. Even my daughter and granddaughter used to tell me. It was then that I felt the need to do something. But at the age of 87, there's not much one can do. It is then the idea of making pickle and feeding the needy struck us".  

She further said that she is really glad about the fact despite her efforts are comparatively insignificant, yet she has been able to assist others in their difficult times.   

The strong-willed and big-hearted woman also stated that in her leisure time she is willing to teach culinary and home tasks to anyone interested without any remuneration. Gupta even revealed that after recovering from COVID-19 infection at the age of 87, she still suffers from tremendous weakness and agony. Yet, her unwavering spirit resolved to help people in tough times triumph over all obstacles. 

While speaking about her grandmother, Dr. Radhika Batra, a pediatrician, said, "It is stupendous to think about others at this age and that too with continuous grief of losing her husband. This definitely acts as an inspiration for my generation. Perhaps, having gone through a bad situation gives hope to do something to help others and, in this process, we help ourselves," according to ANI.   

Gupta is currently producing four varieties of mango pickles, which she packages in glass jars with a letter of blessings from her for the buyers. 

(Image Credit: ANI)