Jamshedpur: Widely known as an ardent fan of Bollywood actress Madhuri Dixit, 52-year-old Pappu Sardar has built a distinct identity for himself through three decades of service to people from the underprivileged people of the society.What began in 1996 as a modest charitable food initiative has grown into a wide-ranging social effort supporting financially weaker sections through marriage assistance, healthcare aid, food service, environmental work and civic initiatives.Pappu has helped solemnise the marriages of 15 underprivileged girls from Hindu and Muslim communities. He has also provided financial assistance to more than 40 economically disadvantaged women to buy essential wedding items.“For me, religion, caste, and beliefs do not matter. Anyone who comes to me seeking help receives my support because I believe God has created me to serve others,” said Pappu while serving chaat to customers at his popular restaurant in Sakchi Market in the city.His support has also reached women in need of medical care. Over the years, he has helped more than 300 women procure medicines and receive treatment.Moved by reports of being treated on the floor due to shortage of beds, Pappu donated six hospital beds to Ghatshila sub-divisional hospital during the Covid-19 pandemic. During this time, he served meals to patients and their attendants at the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Medical College and Hospital.During Ramzan, Pappu reserves his shop for Rozedars to break their fast. “We suspend regular counter sales for an hour and serve food exclusively to Rozedars. People sit together and enjoy iftar happily,” he said. More than 200 people gather daily at his shop during the holy month.A strong advocate of environmental conservation, Pappu serves as Swachhta Ambassador of the Jamshedpur Notified Area Committee. In the past decade, he has distributed more than 10,000 saplings to social and religious organisations.He extended full support for the treatment of a 20-year-old Graduate School College for Women student suffering from hydrocephalus at Christian Medical College, Vellore.Inspired by Narendra Modi’s “Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam” campaign, he launched “Ek Ped Maa Behen Ke Naam” and distributed 400 saplings on June 4.He is also credited with initiating a programme to honour women sanitation workers on International Women’s Day.NRIs visiting his Sakchi Market shop often donate foreign currency for his initiatives. Recently, an Indian-origin American citizen donated US$100.“I am merely a custodian of these donated funds. I will hand over the money to Madhuri Ji whenever I get the opportunity to meet her,” Pappu said.