AI Generated Summary
- As the waters slowly recede from Sultanpur Lodhi, the sight of Satnam and Rupa continues to inspire those around them — a powerful reminder that even in the darkest hours, the light of compassion can ride strong.
- Amid the watery expanse of flood-hit Sultanpur Lodhi, a lone horse rider cuts through the mist — a man on a mission.
- She’s a partner, a protector, and a beacon of humanity’s bond with animals in the harshest of times.
Amid the watery expanse of flood-hit Sultanpur Lodhi, a lone horse rider cuts through the mist — a man on a mission. Satnam Singh, astride his loyal mare Rupa, has become a living emblem of courage, service, and the indomitable Punjabi spirit known as Chardi Kala — optimism in the face of adversity.
While tractors rumble over makeshift mud tracks and villagers wade through chest-deep waters, Satnam and Rupa move with quiet determination, their bond stronger than the floodwaters that surround them. Together, they have become the face of resilience in a land that refuses to surrender.
A resident of Bhaini Bahadur village, Satnam is a school bus driver by profession. But ever since the floods ravaged the area, his days have been spent delivering food and essentials to those stranded or toiling along the bundhs — embankments built to contain the swollen rivers. His companion through it all is the four-year-old Rupa, a mare whose strength and loyalty have become local legend.
This is not Rupa’s first brush with disaster. Having braved the floods of 2023, she once again rose to the challenge — swimming across turbulent streams, ferrying neighbours and supplies, and even delivering langar (community meals) when boats were nowhere to be found. “Rupa follows me wherever I go,” Satnam says with a smile, patting her neck affectionately. “People think we take care of her, but it’s she who actually protects us.”
Satnam’s service to the community began when he noticed earth mover drivers working tirelessly without food. “One day, I met a man who had skipped meals for hours while repairing the bundh,” he recalls. “That’s when I decided I had to help.” Since then, Satnam and Rupa have been covering miles daily, ensuring no one working in the flood relief efforts goes hungry.
The spirit of service runs deep in Satnam’s family. His father, Joga Singh — affectionately called Bapu by the villagers — became an online sensation during last year’s floods for his ever-smiling optimism, a symbol of Punjab’s enduring hope even amid hardship.
When rising waters forced the family to sell their two other horses — Noorie and another mare also named Rupa — Satnam refused to part with this one. “My grandfather was the first in our family to keep horses,” he says. “When it came time to sell, I just couldn’t let her go.”
Today, Rupa is more than just a horse; she’s a partner, a protector, and a beacon of humanity’s bond with animals in the harshest of times. Satnam even hopes to pass that bond on to his five-year-old son, Armandeep Singh, who is already learning to ride under his father’s watchful eye.
As the waters slowly recede from Sultanpur Lodhi, the sight of Satnam and Rupa continues to inspire those around them — a powerful reminder that even in the darkest hours, the light of compassion can ride strong.
