A restaurant owner in New Delhi is winning hearts with his act of benevolence.
Zoheb Bhutia, originally hailing from Gangtok, Sikkim who launched his food outlet – MO mosquare in Safdarjung Enclave not very long before came forward to feed the hungry during the pandemic.
Around 10 PM every night, Zoheb and his team have been delivering about 1000 momos, ration, chocolates, savories, sanitizer, and water for free since April 2021 to 300 people who halt outside AIIMS with no shelter or food.
“One day while driving through AIIMS and Safdarjung Hospital, I saw a lot of people camped out. I wondered if they were there for a day. But then I realized they were there for months. It was really bad. They were sleeping right on the footpath. Some of them had come for operations for the kids which they could neither afford nor could they go back home. The least we could do is feed them and give them water,” narrates Zoheb to LifeBeyondNumbers.
Although he was just starting out his business, he took the call of stopping paid deliveries and aiding the poor with whatever resources he and his friends could gather. And momos are his specialty.
Zoheb’s family owns a restaurant in Gangtok that has been running since the 1930s and serving the Tibetan dish all along. He carried his traditional cuisine all the way to the national capital to give the residents its authentic taste. But with slowed-down business over lockdown, he used all his spare time to start the noble cause.
“Momo is comfort food and these people may not be able to get that ever. So, this is a chance for me to give them the experience and make them happy. Knowing that some people are fed today, I can sleep well at night,” quotes Bhutia.
He is now so famous among those people that they holler around addressing him ‘Momo wale bhaiya‘. But soon the people started asking for ration. They got these make-shift chulhas and utensils in which they cook. So, now the team is also trying and providing food essentials.
The initiative gained further momentum after a video of his team distributing momos went viral on the social media page of St Paul’s School, Darjeeling, Zoheb’s alma mater. As a result, several other alumni joined in and contributed in form of volunteering, and funds. The near and dear, and family of the members also budged in. Zoheb thanks all of them.
“This is a team effort to be precise. Without the support, I couldn’t have continued for so long. On the first day, we took 100 plates but there were a lot of people. As a result, many did not get food. The next day, when my friends heard about it, they wanted to donate and paid for about 50 plates. Then someone else offered to buy water and medicines. Slowly, we managed to make 1000 momos every day,” shares the MO mosquare owner.
The whole thing was the ideation of Zoheb and his outlet co-owner Pema. They got four core members and many others who stepped in to help out.
Also, read: Chennai’s Sundal Mama Turns Good Samaritan, Serving 700+ Free Meals Daily During The Pandemic
“My team consists of Pema, who is also my business partner, and she is the one responsible for making the momo. We have Ugyen who also helps out in cooking, delivering. Peter helps in the kitchen and delivers, and Priyata is doing PR. Rest there’s Dr. Gautam who has been helping me with resources, planning, coordinating”, he said.
Not just this, they have even hired two people who are basically attendants to the patients in the hospitals and were looking out for work.
“Right now, we don’t have any profit. But for my team and me, feeding the poor people of Delhi is better than earning,” Bhutia concludes.
Want to help Zoheb and his team? You can donate at:
Name: Zoheb Bhutia
Bank: HDFC Bank
Ac. No.: 50100221768940
IFSC Code: HDFC0002649
Branch: Stellar IT Park, Noida