Coventry City Council honoured Sikh father-daughter duo Inderjit Jugdy and Avtar Kaur with the Good Citizen Award for their work through Langar Aid. Started in 2016, their charity served over 1 million meals in 2025 and currently provides 20,000 free meals weekly.
Over one million meals – that is what Sikh father-daughter duo Inderjit Jugdy and Avtar Kaur served in 2025 alone through their charity initiative Langar Aid. Coventry City Council took note. In November 2026, civic leaders presented them with the prestigious Good Citizen Award for a decade of relentless community service across Coventry and the West Midlands.
Rooted in the Sikh tradition of langar, the practice offers free communal meals to all people regardless of faith, gender, or social status. They took temple hospitality straight to public streets. By serving hot food in open spaces, Jugdy and Kaur created an accessible lifeline for anyone needing nourishment.
From 30 Meals a Week to One Million
In 2016, the project started as a family effort inside their home kitchen with help from family and friends. They started small. Every week, the duo handed out just 30 home-cooked meals to local residents outside Coventry’s Jobcentre.
20,000 free meals — that is what the initiative now distributes every single week. Over the past decade, Khalsa Aid International helped Langar Aid expand its volunteer base and distribution network to meet rising demand. The modest operation grew fast. By 2025, the charity hit a major milestone when volunteers served over one million meals to individuals and families across the region.
Comprehensive Community Services
Five evenings every week, volunteer teams hit the streets of Coventry to hand out freshly cooked meals directly to residents. Food runs happen like clockwork. This street outreach ensures vulnerable local people get reliable access to hot dinners.
Beyond evening meal services, the charity distributes essential food parcels to support families struggling under high living costs and financial crisis. Relief comes daily. Unhoused residents and vulnerable community members find steady support through Langar Aid’s wide outreach network, which tackles immediate hunger and ongoing food insecurity alike.
Why UK Civic Leaders Honoured the Duo
Coventry City Council commended Jugdy and Kaur during the November 2026 award ceremony for spending ten years fighting hunger and fostering social inclusion. Local leaders pointed to their sustained dedication. That effort brought dignity, practical help, and relief to thousands of residents across the city and surrounding areas.
After receiving the civic award, the co-founders pledged their ongoing commitment to local communities. The duo now plans to extend their distribution network and food programs into neighboring West Midlands cities to reach even more people in need.