Chef Vikas Khanna to help India's street vendors impacted by COVID-19 pandemic

Michelin-star chef Vikas Khanna, who will soon reach milestone of having distributed 25 million meals across India amid COVID-19, is w aiming to provide essential rations and supplies to 10 million street vendors and ir families facing hardships due to coronavirus pandemic.

48-year-old world-rewned chef and author has coordinated a massive food distribution drive from his home in Manhattan since coronavirus pandemic gripped India, unleashing ecomic hardships for millions as a nationwide lockdown was implemented in March.

"We are securing ration and are planning about 10 million meals around country for street vendors, who actually hold true herit of Indian food in ir hands," Khanna told PTI.

He has distributed rations, meals and essential supplies to innumerable orphans, old- homes, leprosy centers, widow ashrams, Mumbai's famed Dabbawalas, boatmen and craftsmen in Varanasi as well as to migrant workers and hundreds of thousands of people in need across more than 125 Indian cities with help of National Disaster Response Force.

Nearly 50 leing brands as well as public and private organisations and individuals have partnered with and supported Khanna in his 'Feed India' initiative.

Khanna will soon touch landmark of having distributed 25 million meals across India amid pandemic and says he will dedicate this milestone to India's legendary artist Lata Mangeshkar, with whom he shares a special bond. He recalls that his mor listened to Mangeshkar's songs on rio after working long arduous hours running and managing banquets in Amritsar.

Khanna is simultaneously working on providing two million meals, food, clos, essential supplies like mosquito repellents, candles and matches to people in flood-ravd areas of Bihar and Assam, particularly in remote areas. "re are a lot of challenges to support relief in flooded areas of Bihar & Assam (especially remote ones). But I pledge 2 million+ meals in affected areas. We will do best to our ability," Khanna h tweeted.

world-rewned chef said he was particularly moved by plight of millions of street vendors across India, whose source of income and livelihood has been severely impacted due to pandemic and lockdown. He is planning to distribute 10 million meals and or essential items for street vendors that will last for at least three months and has shortlisted 20 cities for distribution drive.

Khanna hopes that more people and companies will join his efforts to help street vendors, who he says are an intrinsic part of India's food culture and feed daily w workers, besides attracting food lovers from all walks of life. "Street vendors have been among most important thre of society and provide food to millions of daily labourers. y have uplifted each or through years. That is power of street vendors. My next mission is to help se street vendors," he said.

"It is important to stay positive in se difficult times but it is also good to help out right w. This is true moment where individual strength is displayed. We are all holding hands and we can actually make this work. It is time for country to come toger," he said.

Khanna emphasised that criticising governments or foundations for ir response to crisis "is an absolutely wrong way to look at it right w because se are very unpredictable circumstances. body kws how to deal with it." "se crises are t crises which can be mand by NGOs and governments alone. crisis is a testimony of human grit. At this time of severe crisis, we need individuals who can share a little from what y have," he said.

" street vendors are hopeful that once restrictions are lifted and crisis is over, ir businesses can resume. y are just hanging by a thre. pandemic is an unprecedented crisis and it is far from over. But we cant give up," Khanna said. PTI YAS MRJ MRJ