London( Aarif Chaudhary)
Rochdale’s community rejoiced upon receiving the freedom of the borough, the highest honor of Rochdale Borough, to Kashmiri leader Javed Akhtar, a prominent social community figure of Rochdale, UK.
On receiving the FREEDOM OF THE BOROUGH, Javed Akhtar spoke exclusively to Senior Journalist Arif Chowdhury and said that first of all he would like to thank Rochdale Borough Council for bestowing me with this special award.
I am pleased, proud, and grateful,
I also want to thank my local community for the love and respect they have given me over the years, I am truly proud of you all.
I would like to “dedicate” this award to my beloved parents who were my true “role models”, it is because of their love and nurturing that I am today!
I was 15 when I came to the UK, and have lived in Rochdale ever since and am a very proud Rochdale.
I have always been passionate about helping people in the community, which I have always enjoyed.
In the beginning, I used to “interpret” for people who couldn’t speak English. I often helped them communicate with social security, doctors, lawyers, etc., he added
I am a founding member of Jamia Bilal Masjid in Rochdale and I am active in charities like British Heart Foundation, PETERS, and Kashmir Orphan Trust.
I am also involved in many other charity programs, social works and volunteer projects. The ones I’m most proud of were in 2001.
I organized “Changpur Water Supply Management Committee”. This included the construction of a water supply line to supply clean water to more than 400 homes in a village in Kashmir. Whereas earlier women had to travel miles to get clean water.
It was a very successful project from which people are still benefiting.
In 2008 I organized the Changpur Welfare Association to organize an ambulance for the village as there was no transport facility to take patients to the hospital 25 km away in the city, these ambulances are still running successfully. are
I have also chaired for over 8 years and am still a key member of the Kashmir Development Foundation (KDF), a civil society organization working for community development and “empowering” the voice of the “unrepresented”. There is an organization. Assistance and “rehabilitation” of those who are “deserving” or victims of cross-border firing on both sides of Kashmir and those who have lost their homes or victims of floods or other calamities.
I am grateful to my wife, children and all my family and friends for their love and support.
I have always believed that the greatest sacrifice is when you sacrifice your happiness and time for the sake of others – my purpose in life is to serve deserving people which I will continue till my last breath inshallah.
