For the past 22 years, Mahantji Balliram Chadee has lived his life’s purpose to serve humanity.
Chadee, who founded the Hanuman Mission in Ajax, Canada, and its mirror organisation in Trinidad and Tobago, continues to provide both religious and social services to individuals across the global.
Speaking with the Express on Monday, Chadee said while he had performed the roles of a pundit and humanitarian worker for most of his life, he expanded his charitable work in 2002.
Over the past six years, he has been involved in the Global Orphanage Kids Feeding Project, which in 2023 fed orphanages in eight countries: Fiji, Mauritius, Suriname, Guyana, Jamaica, India, Canada, and Trinidad and Tobago.
Through the Mission for Vision Eye Surgeries Sponsorship Project in Bangalore, India, he has contributed to providing around 3,000 eye surgeries since 2019.
In 2015 and 2023, 11 wheelchairs were provided to the disability communities in Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago.
Chadee, 62, was born in Fyzabad and moved to Ontario, Canada, at age 22. Now employed as a project coordinator for the government of Ontario, he says his real passion is the work he does selflessly.
“My interest in charitable work blossomed in Trinidad as a young boy. I always knew I would have some spiritual qualities because my life was always geared towards the power of Lord Hanuman. I always saw myself in that healing role. It intensified over the years,” he said.
In 2012, he was ordained and took the title of “mahantji” at the Shree Tulsidas ji Sankat Mochan Hanuman Mandir in Kashi (Varanasi), India, with the blessings of and under the guidance of Mahantji Dr Veer Badri Mishra.
“A mahantji is beyond a pundit. It is an administrator, a guide, an educator, in charge of a religious organisation,” he explained.
He said his charitable works were accessible to all individuals, regardless of their faith, beliefs and religion.
“Any spiritualist who wants to preach must practise and perform before attempting to be an educator, motivator or guide. It is service to humanity, and it is intended to help the millions,” he said.
And for this service, Chadee has received numerous accolades.
SELFLESS SERVICE: Fyzabad-born Mahantji Balliram Chadee has been performing spiritual and humanitarian services for the past 22 years.
In January 2020, he was conferred a Doctor of Letters degree from the Swami Vivekananda Yoga University in Bangalore. He is also the recipient of The Mahatma Gandhi Pravasi Gold Medal for his selfless services to community and spirituality outside of India and the Indian diaspora, as well as the Nelson Mandela Leadership Award, and the Hind Rattan Award (Jewel of India) from the Indian government.
Chadee has also been recognised by the government of Ontario and received the Ontario Medal for Good Citizenship, as well as the Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteerism from the Governor General of Canada.
Most recently, he was awarded the Caribbean Global Humanitarian Award in England in September.