Every Ramzan, celebrity chef Vikas Khanna observes one-day fast (Roza) for a Muslim family that had saved his life during the 1992 Mumbai riots. He has been doing this for the last 26 years to express his gratitude to the Good Samaritans who had saved him from a mob of rioters.

During an interview with actor Anupam Kher last year, Khanna narrated how he had experienced two extreme sides of the human nature on a single day in 1992.

The chef said that he was working with Sea Rock Sheraton hotel in Mumbai when the riots broke out and the staff was holed up within the premises. There was a curfew in most parts of the city.

Somebody in the hotel, Khanna said in the interview, had informed him that the epicentre of the riots was Ghatkopar where several buildings were set on fire. He was alarmed as his brother’s family lived there and immediately left the hotel to reach Ghatkopar.

While he was walking, a truck of essential supplies passed by and Khanna asked for help. The driver dropped him at some distance from his brother’s residence in Ghatkopar.

As the chef was approaching his brother’s place, he was intimidated by multiple groups of people at several places, but he kept walking. At this juncture, when he had seemingly lost his way, Khanna a Muslim family who wanted to save him from the rioters invited him into their house and sheltered him.

When the rioters visited their house and made enquiries, the family lied and said that Khanna too, was their son. He stayed with them for two days, and they treated him with tremendous love.

Khanna said that he looked for the family everywhere after the riots, but couldn’t find them. In a bid to express his gratitude towards the family, he began to observe one Roza every Ramzan for them.

On Monday, Khanna happily announced that it was the best day of his life as he had finally found the family after 26 years. He tweeted, “This is one of the happiest days of my life.”

This is one of the happiest day of my life. @AnupamPKher ji had interviewed me last year for @republic & I shared the story of Muslim family that saved my life during riots.

WE FOUND THEM & today I shall break the fast with them

vikas khanna Anupam Kher https://t.co/wldNhL5it2 — Vikas Khanna (@TheVikasKhanna) June 11, 2018

Khanna’s story is a beautiful reminder of the power of love at a time when hate spreading its tentacles rapidly.