NEW DELHI: For hundreds of students, it was more than a canteen. It was a place where a warm meal cost Rs 70, where youngsters living away from home found comfort, and where a smiling “aunty” ensured no one went hungry.
On Saturday evening, that familiar space turned into a tragedy when a multi-storey building in Saidulajab, south Delhi, collapsed within seconds. According to relatives, Parvati Ojha, who ran the canteen, went back inside not to save herself but to warn students who were still eating.
In the aftermath, grieving students, shaken survivors and devastated relatives remembered a woman whose greatest concern was always the young people she served.
Hari Prasad, a relative of Parvati, recalled the final moments before the collapse. “I spend most of my time at the canteen. My brother, sister-in-law and other family members ran it together. When the incident happened, all of us managed to come outside. However, my sister-in-law went back in to alert students and ask them to evacuate immediately. Within six to seven seconds, the entire building collapsed like a house of cards,” he said.
Originally from Nepal but born and raised in Delhi, Hari said the family had built a close bond with students over the years.
“My sister-in-law ran one of the most affordable canteens in the area. We served a full meal for just Rs 70. The students standing here today are not just customers—they loved and respected her,” he said. According to him, serving students was more than a business.
“Her only goal was to ensure that no student went hungry. Around 10 to 12 students were eating inside when the incident occurred. The last order being prepared was for 12 parathas. She went straight inside to warn and save those students. She never thought about her own safety,” he said.
Students described Parvati as a mother figure. “She was like our mother,” said medical aspirant Rishab. “Even if someone had no money, she would find a way to feed them.” “Aunty would always check on us,” said Aditi, an aspiring doctor. “She made sure we were eating well and taking care of ourselves.” When Parvati’s body was recovered, many students rushed to AIIMS Trauma Centre, unwilling to leave the woman they had come to regard as family.