(Narayanan Krishnan ; picture courtesy : Akshaya Trust )
Any aspiring young professional would fancy a job in Switzerland, one of the richest countries in the world. Things were no different with Narayanan Krishnan, an award winning young Chef hailing from the temple town of Madurai. In 2003 he dreamt of becoming a popular chef serving fancy dishes to his celebrity customers at the backdrop of glitz and glamour. Little did he know that his home visit before travelling to Europe would mark the beginning of a brand new chapter in his life.
“I saw a very old man eating his own human waste for food. It really hurt me so much. I was literally shocked for a second. After that, I started feeding that man and decided this is what I should do the rest of my life time”, says Narayanan.
Narayanan quit his high paid job. What awaited him were not his celebrity customers, but the silent cries from empty bellies at the back drop of temple bells in his home town. He founded ‘Akshaya Trust’, a Non Profit Organization in 2003. Narayanan has fed more than 1.2 million in and around Madurai.
He pooled in his entire savings of $2500 for the establishment of Akshaya in 2003. The organization now incurs an operating cost of $327 daily. Apart from the donations and the sponsorships, Narayanan pools in a personal contribution of about $88 for the day to day expenses. His family supports him in this regard. Though he could not do much for his parents, they have offered him all possible help and backing after being inspired by the charity work of ‘Akshaya’.
(Akshaya Team ; picture courtesy: Akshaya Trust)
7 years later, Narayanan feels all happy about the turn of things in 2003. “Now I am feeling so comfortable and so happy. I have a passion, I enjoy my work. I want to live with my people”, says Narayanan.Through Akshaya Narayanan aims to restore the human dignity for the thousands of road side destitutes.
Narayanan is the hero of thousands of hunger ridden poor stranded in the streets of Madurai and adjoining areas. Most worthily, he is now one of the top ten contestants of the 2010 CNN-CBN heroes award.
Cast your votes for Narayanan Krishnan as the CNN-CBN 2010 hero and let the world join him in his chores for charity.
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