How often do we spare time for others? When was the last time we made efforts to make a stranger happy?
And here is a man, one of us, whose major worry was- how to realize his mother’s dream of feeding unprivileged people a healthy plate of food, instead of how he would make time for this cause.
Dadi Ki Rasoi – a Mother’s Dream and a Son’s Scheme
In a time, where our worries are centered around high inflation rates and government taxation, Anoop Khanna, a Noida-based chemist, decided to bring change in the lives of the needy and hungry individuals.
One day, when Anoop Khanna was sitting on the dining table with his family, he noticed his mother had lost her appetite due to sickness. His mother too, made the observation, that her extra food was going waste due to her erratic hunger. She came up with a marvelous plan of giving off the leftovers to needy people. On that note, the family agreed that it was a great idea and needs execution on a larger scale. And, this life-changing service was commenced on 21st August 2015, on Anoop Khanna’s birthday.
The idea of feeding the poor germinated in Anoop Khanna’s house but got immense support from like-minded people. He, along with several friends, hosts this 5-rupee meal every day at 10-11.30 am in Sector-7 and 12-2.00pm in Sector-29 in Noida.
Mr. Khanna’s daughter coined the stall’s name. Her conception behind the title was, “When grandmother devised this brilliant idea, why not name the stall after her?” and hence the title – Dadi Ki Rasoi (Grandmom’s kitchen).
What makes Dadi Ki Rasoi unique
Besides the concept of Rs. 5 for each plate, several ethical and appreciative methods are noticeable, in running of the stall.
1. Queue
Whether you are a prince or a popper, a queue is a queue!
Every morning when Anoop Khanna distributes food at his allocated locations, he receives patrons from all walks of life. A versatile mix of people, ranging from labor to an MNC executive, knock his door for experiencing home-cooked healthy food. Astonishingly, tourists and media personnel are often identified in the crowd. However, the rules don’t change for anyone. The queue is a sign of equality, and Mr. Khanna is extremely particular about it (Do not even try breaking the line when you visit it!).
2. Prioritise the Needy
Hunger is a man’s biggest enemy, and only a hungry man knows the value of bread.
Every customer, who walks up to the stall is served every dish. However, Roti (bread) is offered to the poor, who may not be able to afford it easily. Roti is not an economical and fast-moving dish for the social cause Anoop Khanna runs. Offering Roti’s to 400-500 people daily wasn’t an easy task, so he decided to limit roti-takers to the poor.
3. Proximity to dustbins
Often, it is observed that one good cause destroys another. However, noticing government-built trash cans in the background of the stall assured that the paper dishes and spoons make it to the bin and don’t loiter on the roads. Kudos to that!
4. Quality of food
It hardly matters who eat the food; quality is of utmost priority when it comes to preparing a home-cooked meal. There are 4 CCTV cameras installed to keep a watch on the preparation process in the morning. Anoop Khanna checks all the recordings himself to assure hygiene and superior food quality. In fact, he brings a Dabba (tiffin) home, to taste the food and make amends in the ingredients as and when needed.
5. Why charge even Rs. 5 to the needy?
Dadi ki Rasoi is a stall for the needy, but the idea does not believe in diminishing the self-respect of the poor.
Every man or woman who visits the food stall deserves the same respect and the same treatment. And, a sum of Rs. 5 makes a poor empowered instead of instilling the feeling of a beggar.
Anoop Khanna’s War Against Hunger
India is a proud nation of 1.3 billion humans, showing exceptional growth and progress in the last few years. Our country has marked its footprint in innumerable fields, yet the fight for poverty and hunger continues. According to a report by “The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World, 2018,”, more than 190 million individuals are undernourished and sleep hungry every day in India.
You will be astonished to know; approximately one-third of the food produced across the world gets wasted. Imagine, the number of stomachs this much food could fill? Hence, no man should sleep hungry under Mr. Khanna’s watch. And, Dadi Ki Rasoi strives to make it possible by bringing a smile and a plate of nutritious food to the lower strata of the society, in a dignified way.
Anoop Khanna is a simple man in his 60’s, appreciating life and god’s creatures, by offering his relentless service. Not only food but affordable medicines, clothes and used wedding items, are provided to the deserving at a mere rate of Rs. 10.
Immense respect for people like Anoop Khanna, who selflessly work to fill others stomach without any expectation. It is a matter of pride and applause that a man is utilizing his second innings by living for the needy and the poor. He is not only a national contributor, fighting hunger, but also a big inspiration for the next generation, who are still struggling to spend quality time with their parents.
Do you agree with his logic behind charging Rs. 5 per plate, even from the poor?