In the quiet streets of Faizabad, an 82-year-old man has spent the last three decades ensuring that the forgotten find dignity, even in death. Mohammad Sharif, lovingly known as ‘Sharif Chacha,’ has performed the last rites for over 25,000 unclaimed and abandoned bodies—Hindus, Muslims, and others alike—giving them the farewell they never had in life.
Sharif’s journey began in 1992 with a personal tragedy that reshaped his destiny. His eldest son, Raees Khan, a young chemist, was murdered during a visit to Sultanpur. His body, unclaimed and unnoticed, was discarded without a proper burial. The pain of that loss weighed heavily on Sharif, but it was his wife who bore the deepest wound. The shock of their son’s fate led to her mental illness, leaving a void in their home that could never be filled.
Instead of succumbing to grief, Sharif turned his sorrow into service. He resolved that no other soul should be left forgotten in death. With the cooperation of local police and hospital authorities, he began collecting the unclaimed—sometimes from railway tracks, sometimes from deserted alleys—and ensuring their last rites were conducted with the dignity they deserved. He has personally arranged funerals for nearly 3,000 Hindus and 1,500 Muslims, guided only by the principle of humanity.
His work, however, has come at a cost. Age and frailty have made it harder for him to continue, and his family struggles financially. His son, Mohammed Sageer, worries about how long his father can carry on without support. Yet, Sharif remains undeterred, believing that this mission is not his alone—it is a duty that humanity must uphold.
Sharif’s story is not one of recognition or awards; it is a tale of love, loss, and an unbreakable resolve to bring dignity to those whom the world has forgotten. A father’s grief became a beacon of hope, proving that even in the darkest moments, compassion can light the way.
