Award-winning chef Narayanan Krishnan worked in a five-star hotel and was considering a position in Switzerland when he saw a desperately hungry man consuming his own excreta. It was a vocational call for Krishnan who abandoned his career path and decided to spend his life feeding the mentally ill and helpless in Madurai.
That was nine years ago. Today, Krishnan, 29, is the only Indian of the shortlisted ten CNN Heroes 2010. Honoured for providing over 1.2 million meals so far, through his non-profit organisation Akshaya Trust, he maintains, “We began humbly — a one-man army with me cooking in my mother’s kitchen and delivering to the needy. Now I have three paid staff and four volunteers.”
It’s not an easy commitment — breakfast, lunch and dinner for 400 people daily. His day starts at 4 am and Krishnan is very focused with his time and energy. “I distinguish between beggars and the mentally challenged. If I fed a beggar, he would thank me immensely but I don’t need gratitude for my work.” Krishnan’s motivation is altruistic, “You feed your child, he doesn’t thank you, yet you are elated. I go through the same emotions after feeding the mentally challenged. They are like my own children.”
It doesn’t end with a full belly. Krishnan is currently working on a project to house all 400 people whom he feeds. “The entire project costs `3 crore. I have around `1.5 crore. Once I have the rest I will house them and also provide them with training so they can earn and be independent. The only thing missing in their lives is love. If one provides love and care, they will thrive. A lot of goodwill still exists in this world, so with everyone’s help I will see this dream to fruition.”