Local family man, Rev Inderjit Bhogal, was awarded an OBE in this year’s New Year’s Honours List for services to interfaith relations. “It was a total surprise,” said Inderjit when I met him. “It’s an acknowledgement that the work I do has national significance. I’m also glad for Pitsmoor; it’s not often this area gets positive recognition.”
Inderjit is a Minister for the Methodist Church and in 2000 was elected their President. “It surprised a few people – electing an Indian man to be the head of the Church.” Sitting at his kitchen table Inderjit says this is his office, and a lot of his work is featured around the principles of food. “I can’t believe that there is still starvation in the world, when one half of the world dies from obesity and the other from starvation.” He now works for Christian Aid and their current campaign is called ‘Make Poverty History’.
Inderjit is an extremely active campaigner for various causes. He has walked from Sheffield to Downing Street to raise awareness about homelessness. He was a founder of Homeless and Rootless in Sheffield and is joint chair of the Sheffield Stop the War Coalition. Locally he also organised an interfaith walk, ‘A Pray for Peace’, visiting all the churches and mosques around Burngreave.
by Gaby Spinks