At 87, Mohammad Shareef is known to many as a humble bicycle mechanic. But for thousands of abandoned souls, he is the man who ensured they did not leave this world without dignity.

For 27 years, Shareef — fondly called Shareef Chacha — has performed the last rites of unclaimed bodies, irrespective of caste or religion. In that time, over 3,000 Hindus and 2,500 Muslims have found dignity in death because of him.

But his mission began with unimaginable loss.

In 1992, as he........

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