How Michelin star chef Vikas Khanna turned pandemic hero for millions of Indians

 

A week into the pandemic saw scores of people left helpless and at the mercy of others. With the entire nation in lockdown, things started spiraling down for poor Indians who couldn’t arrange two meals for themselves and their families. That’s when Michelin star chef Vikas Khanna extended a helping hand right from his apartment in the US. The New York-based chef turned out to be a saviour for millions of Indians with his Feed India Initiative.

Vikas, who knows how to cook up a storm in the kitchen, couldn’t turn a blind eye to his dying countrymen. This concern led to the germination of Feed India Initiative where he provided more than 50 million meals for the poor.

With his army of volunteers and bags full of ration kits, Vikas made sure that he helped as many poor Indian affected by the pandemic sleep on a full stomach.

Hero for the masses

The 49-year-old, under his initiative, set up make-shift kitchens alongside highways and roadsides. People who had no access to kitchens were served warm meals, while free ration kits were distributed from door to door. In addition, he donated over 5,00,000 slippers, 3.5 million sanitary pads, and 2 million masks.

The international chef credits his mom for the inspiration behind Feed India Initiative. The campaign was started as a promise to his mother.

“She was in quarantine back in Amritsar and would constantly update me about the hunger crisis in India, and how she wanted me to help,” he told Forbes India.

“Her words to me were, ‘All your successes are a contribution from the entire India. We celebrated you as ours and now we need you more than ever. It’s your duty to stand up and feed India’. That was enough for me to put everything on the back burner and focus on this.” Read More