Highlights
- Indian-origin restaurant owner honoured with South Australia Award for Active Citizenship
- Gurjinder Singh said the Australia Day honour is a tribute to his migration journey
- Community holds high regards for his selfless service during the coronavirus crisis
Gurjinder Singh Kahlon has consistently demonstrated his passion for supporting the most vulnerable within the South Australian community from the last six years.
His penchant for selfless service and the determination to give back to the community during the ongoing health crisis has drawn accolades on this Australia Day. 
The 42-year-old restauranteur who owns the 'Chahat Indian Restaurant' located in Adelaide's West Richmond suburb said it's a special moment in his life.
Gurjinder Singh has been honoured with this year’s South Australia Award for Active Citizenship. Source: Supplied
"I am very humbled to receive this great honour. There couldn't be a better and a beautiful thing than being appreciated for stepping up for my community," Mr Kahlon said.
"My family is extremely proud and happy. We feel privileged to be part of this great community."
Mr Kahlon and his restaurant, lovingly known as a 'kindness resort' amidst the West Torrens community and beyond, have distributed over 5,000 food boxes to returning overseas travellers quarantining at medi-hotels, international students and emergency staff at the Lyell McEwen hospital during COVID-prompted lockdowns.
His restaurant also served as the distribution hub for over 3,000 grocery kits supplied to the community members in need during the pandemic.
Gurjinder Singh and his staff at the Chahat restaurant assisted Australian Sikh Support in their COVID-19 relief work. Source: Supplied
"The whole initiative started at a minimal scale as we initially aimed to distribute only 30 to 50 meal boxes a day, but as the need grew, we expanded it to over 300 meal boxes with the support from Sikh Support Australia," Mr Kahlon said.
Mr Kahlon said he feels this is the least he could do to help people who struggled to fulfil their basic needs during the unprecedented crisis.
“We don’t want anyone to sleep with an empty stomach. We also ran a campaign on social media to tell people that we’re here to help,” he added.
Community leader and Sikh Support Australia volunteer Amrik Singh Thandi hailed Mr Kahlon as a ‘role model’ who demonstrated exemplary compassion during the hard times.
“He is a very noble man who is always willing to give back to the South Australian community generously. We are very proud of his selfless services that have led to this Australia Day honour,” Mr Thandi said.
'Not long ago, I was bed-ridden and depressed’
The Kahlon family at the Australia Day award ceremony at the Government House on Monday 18 January. Source: Supplied by Daljeet Bakshi
In addition to his COVID-19 response, Mr Kahlon has also participated in various other initiatives such as distributing free meals on Christmas Day and daily breakfast to the homeless at Light Square and Hurtle Square in the city.
While speaking about his journey, Mr Kahlon, who started his professional journey as a diesel mechanic, shared that he had to face many personal hurdles to find his footing in Australia after he suffered a critical neck injury in 2013.
"I had to overcome many hurdles during this early phase of my migration journey. I was depressed, seeing myself in a condition where I was bed-ridden due to my injury.
"I would often wonder how I would support my family as I could barely walk, and even going to the bathroom was a huge challenge," he reminisced.
While Mr Kahlon was living through challenging circumstances, one of his friends suggested him to start a home-based tiffin service for the Indian-Australian community.
Gurjinder Singh started a restaurent and food catering business in 2014. Source: Supplied
“This idea clicked, and once I got a bit better, my wife and I started distributing home-cooked meals within our community.
“We had reasonable success in this venture, but we couldn’t continue since a lot of regulations governs this industry," he said.
‘Australia Day honour is a tribute to my migration journey’
Mr and Mrs Kahlon at the Government House for the Australia Day award ceremony on Monday 18 January. Source: Supplied
This prompted him to start his restaurant in 2014.
"I feel that our life has to be more than just focusing on making money.
"There were times when we had to sleep in parks, on roads, or in hospital corridors. But that is in the past now. Life is beautiful now, and with God's grace, we intend to share what we have earned with those in need," he said.
Mr Kahlon hails from Village Dhariwal in the Gurdaspur District of Punjab, India.
He said the Australia Day honour is a tribute to his migration journey.
"We are just one small part of those proud migrants who dream to be capable of giving it back to the country that has bestowed them with love, support, and a prosperous life."
The Australia Day Council of South Australia Chief Executive Officer, Jan Chorley said these awards recognise the commitment of extraordinary South Australians who work unnoticed for their communities.
The Australia Day award recipients at the Government House on Monday 18 January. Source: Supplied
“The Australia Day Awards recognise those outstanding efforts made by people all around South Australia. The actions of the 2021 recipients are something special that enriches the lives of those around them,” she said.
“These are the unsung heroes that we pay tribute to on Australia Day, and I congratulate all Award recipients for the outstanding contribution that they have made to their community.”
Click on the audio link to listen to his full conversion.
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Indian restaurant owner receives Australia Day honour for distributing free meals during COVID-19 pandemic
SBS Punjabi
20/01/202112:18
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