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Amritsar lane named after philanthropist Chaman Lal Bhalla
American and Indian officials gathered to inaugurate the street and honor Bhalla’s legacy.
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Staff Reporter
- Mon, 02, Jun 2025
- 02:54 EDT
- 36
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(from left) U.S. Congressman Tom Suozzi, New York Senator Jack Martins, Assemblyman Charles Lavine and former Deputy Chief Minister of Punjab, Om Parkash Soni honored Bhalla’s legacy / Photo courtesy of Varinder Bhalla
A street in Amritsar has been named after the late Chaman Lal Bhalla in honor of his contributions to the state and the nation.
Bhalla served the underprivileged, particularly the children of the Amritsar Institute for the Blind throughout his life. In 1991, he started the Agya Wanti Bhalla (AWB) Food Bank in Delhi. The food bank has distributed over 15 million meals to those in need. Bhalla has also supported CLB Eye Camps in Amritsar.
U.S. Congressman Tom Suozzi, New York Senator Jack Martins, and Assemblyman Charles Lavine addressed the gathering via video messages, acknowledging Chaman Lal Bhalla’s lifelong commitment to humanitarian efforts.
The Chief Guest for the occasion was former Deputy Chief Minister of Punjab, Om Parkash Soni, and Councilor Vikas Soni was the Guest of Honor. Other distinguished attendees included former MLA Sunil Datti, Amritsar Congress Chief Ashwini Kumar, Assistant Commissioner Vishal Wadhawan, Councilor Sunita Sharma, Chheharta Merchants Association President Kawaljit Singh, renowned community leader Satish Devgan, and several other prominent members of the Amritsar community.
As part of the celebrations, a procession, led by a band of bagpipers and followed by hundreds of attendees, moved to the newly erected milestone bearing Chaman Lal Bhalla’s name.
In recognition of Chaman Lal Bhalla’s legacy, a citation from the U.S. House of Representatives was presented to his son, Satish Bhalla, while New York State Senate citations were awarded to Chander Mohan Bhalla, Subhash Bhalla, and Suraj Bhalla.
“My father was the inspiration behind everything I did,” said Bhalla’s son and former Nassau County commissioner Varinder Bhalla, who recently received a Congressional award for his charitable endeavors in India and community service in the United States. “This street now carries not just my father’s name, but the spirit of his life,” he added.
As a tribute to Bhalla’s support for the visually impaired, a check for ₹50,000 was presented to the Amritsar Institute for the Blind, along with a commitment for continued support. His legacy also lives on through the Chaman Lal Bhalla Eye Camp, which provides free eye exams and eyeglasses to those in need. The Eye Camp, inaugurated by Member of Parliament Gurjeet Singh Aujla on the 50th anniversary of Bhalla’s passing, has already delivered over 1,200 eyeglasses to the needy people in Amritsar.
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