LUCKNOW: It turned out to be a red-letter day for Basanti Chachi, the tea vendor who got love and recognition at
Lucknow University’s Alumni meet on Saturday. Janak Dulari Alias
Basanti Chachi
was felicitated by former students who shared that she served them tea even when they didn’t have any money.
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Basanti Chachi ki chai, Chhatrasangh Bhawan ki chunavi charcha, Lal Bahadur Shastri hostel ke kisse, were among the memories the former students relived once again.
Deputy chief minister
Dinesh Sharma, some bureaucrats and teachers joined in the alumni meet.
Basanti Chachi turned emotional when students said they cherish her love .
“I still remember her ‘thela’ near Lal Bahadur Shastri hostel, and how she smiled when students didn’t have money and said, “ Jab naukri pa jana tab de dena,” said PK Singh, who runs an NGO.
She has been serving students for the last 40 years, he added.
“We fought elections against each other but, no rivalry or hard feeling could be seen when we sat together,” said Dy CM, and recalled how to get a photograph published in a newspaper he once climbed atop a bus to pose during a protest. “I didn’t realize when two hours flew by chatting with friends about our hostel days, the famous samosa at gate and the tea party at IT chauraha after samosa break,” said public works department secretary J B Singh, who did his MSC in 1982.