LONG ISLAND, NY (TIP): Former Commissioner of Nassau County Varinder Bhalla, a native of Amritsar in the Punjab state of India celebrated the life and legacy of his late father on the 50th anniversary of his passing by organizing an eye camp for free eye exam and eyeglasses for the underprivileged.

The event was also marked by a Langar, a community meal served to over 1000 people as well as distribution of groceries to the poor families in the area.

The event was conceived by Ratna Bhalla, former Deputy Commissioner of Nassau County who inspired her husband to commemorate the half century mark of his father who passed away on January 25, 1973.

The eye camp was supported by a team of eye specialists from the renowned BSLN Eye Hospital in Ganga Nagar, established by Shree Kumar Swami, a spiritual guru acclaimed for his charitable works.

Gurjeet Singh Aujla, Member of India’s Parliament, Om Parkash Soni, former Deputy Chief Minister of Punjab and Sandeep Rishi, Commissioner of Amritsar were the notables who gathered to pay homage to the late Chaman Lal Bhalla whose exemplary support of a local school for the blind inspired the Bhalla family to carry on his tradition of giving back to the society. The Bhallas of Long Island also run a food bank in India’s capital city where surplus food from hotels, airlines and industry kitchens is distributed to the needy. Since its inception in 1991, the AWB Food Bank named after their mother Agya Wanti Bhalla, has distributed nearly 15 million meals to the orphans, widows and the other disadvantaged and vulnerable in New Delhi.

The elder Satish Bhalla acknowledged that the current charitable endeavors of the Bhallas are simply an extension of the humanitarian works of his late parents. The Senate and the General Assembly of the state of New Jersey passed a joint resolution to recognize “Shri Chaman Lal Bhalla in appreciation of the immeasurable contributions he made throughout his lifetime in furtherance of the common good.” For more information about this news, contact Varinder Bhalla at 516.680.8037 or VarinderBhalla@gmail.com