Pappu Sardar Turns Devotion into Compassionate Tribute After Pahalgam Attack
Jamshedpur, May 15 – Every year on May 15, as Bollywood icon Madhuri Dixit celebrates her birthday, a small eatery in Jamshedpur quietly becomes the epicentre of heartfelt celebrations led by her self-proclaimed brother and ardent admirer, Pappu Sardar. But this year, amid the somber backdrop of a national tragedy, his tribute transcended fandom into a moving act of social goodwill.Deeply affected by the recent terror attack in Pahalgam that claimed 26 lives, Pappu chose to channel his grief into hope. Inspired by Operation Sindoor, a symbolic movement to restore dignity to widows affected by terrorism, the 50-something eatery owner decided to solemnise the weddings of three young widows from struggling families.
“Lighting Lives Instead of Candles”
"I couldn’t light candles when there is so much darkness in people’s lives," Pappu said, standing in his modest eatery adorned with photographs of Madhuri Dixit, whom he fondly calls his badi behen (elder sister).Instead, he gifted sindoor — a traditional symbol of marital status — back to three women who thought they’d never wear it again. The act was driven by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent statement condemning the Pahalgam attack as an attempt to "wipe the sindoor from our sisters’ foreheads", words that Pappu said left a lasting impact on him.
Marriages That Gave Hope
With quiet preparation over the past week, Pappu identified three widows — Sulekha Pramanik from Patamda, Madrinarekha Kumari from Chakulia, and Desumita from Bagunhatu. All three women had lost their husbands early and were surviving as domestic workers and daily wage labourers."I wanted them to feel chosen, not pitied," Pappu explained. He took it upon himself to find grooms who were modest in means but rich in character — men willing to accept these women along with their pasts, with respect and love.
On the evening of May 15, his eatery transformed into a venue of joy. Three mandaps were set up outside the shop where the weddings were performed in accordance with Hindu traditions. Each bride’s family performed the kanyadaan ritual, beginning a new chapter.
A Priceless Gift in Madhuri’s Name
Pappu bore the full cost of the weddings — including attire, jewellery, household essentials, and furniture — with help from the community. When asked about the expenses, he simply said,"Sansein kitni lete hain, uska koi hisaab nahi, Madhuri Dixit se mila pyaar bhi anmol hai, Aur hum bhai-behen milkar daan kitna karte hain, uska toh koi hisaab ho hi nahi sakta."
(There is no count of how many breaths we take, the love I’ve received from Madhuri Dixit is priceless, and what we siblings give back to the world can never be measured.)
More Than Just Fandom
Pappu’s bond with Madhuri Dixit has always gone beyond admiration. Over the years, he has used her birthday as an opportunity for community service — from blood donation drives to campaigns promoting girls’ education. In the past, he even travelled to Gazipur, Uttar Pradesh, to arrange a wedding for an orphaned girl, all in the name of his beloved Didi.This year, Pappu Sardar turned grief into grace — a celebration not of glamour, but of dignity, love, and second chances.