Close aide of Johri Farm founder’s family dies
A close aide of Johri Farm founder’s family passed away on Monday morning at her Noor Nagar house. Known as amma by many in the locality, she was 91 years old. Her last rites were completed in Okhla a few minutes ago.
Johri Farm resident Aseem Asha told the OT she was so popularly known as amma. Her last name: Bhanwati Devi.
“She used to work in the founder’s family, Johri, in whose name the posh colony is named. She was well aware of the locality’s history as it developed in front of her. She used to talk about old days when she used to cut grass in Johri’s house who had no children. After his death and the locality being developed, Devi preferred residing in her Noor Nagar house with her family, including four grown up children. She used to get pension of her husband,” said Aseem, who attended her funeral.
Hers is the only Hindu family in main Noor Nagar in Muslim-dominated Jamia Nagar. Devi’s husband Bhual Yadad was an employee of Jamia Millia Islamia.
Aseem said Devi was suffering from age-old complications and it was only two days ago when he met her and talked with her for a few minutes. He said in those days the whole area was a jungle and there was no population save Noor Nagar, Okhla Head and Nai Basti and some people used to reside in Batla House.
The area grew after the establishment of Jamia Millia Islamia in the locality in 1920 with then Vice Chancellors of the university bringing in people from UP with job offers and land.
