FOOD: A man’s mission to end hunger near hospitals | Fusion - WeRIndia

In India, medical treatment often comes at a heavy cost, not just in rupees, but in human struggle.

For many families, especially those from villages or small towns, hospital bills leave little for food or shelter. Amid this silent crisis, one man decided to act.

Samuel Karan found his calling in the waiting rooms of a private hospital.

There, he saw families skipping meals to save for medicines. Hunger made their pain worse.

In 2009, moved by this reality, he and his wife Priya began serving food at Gandhi Hospital.

A decade later, in 2019, the mission grew. Every morning, at the iconic Clock Tower in Secunderabad, Karan and his team serve free breakfast to 300-400 people.

Most are relatives of patients in nearby hospitals. They come from distant villages, having spent all they had on treatment. Hotel stays are unaffordable.

Karan’s NGO, FOOD (Feeding Orphans, Oppressed, Destitute), prepares the meals at his home.

The menu includes idli, upma, pongal, and vada, which are simple but nutritious. Breakfast is served between 7 and 8 am, without fail.

Moreover, the NGO offers basic first aid and emotional support. Many people arrive physically and mentally drained.

Karan explained that when people are already going through difficult times, hunger only adds to their hardship, and he hoped to ease their burden in some small way. His compassion had inspired others.

Volunteers now support the effort, keeping the initiative alive and growing.

Karan believes that having enough to eat brings a sense of peace, and he points out that a well-fed person can think more clearly and sleep more peacefully. Although the meals are free, their value is beyond money.

In a city always on the move, this small act of kindness stands still,  like the Clock Tower itself,  offering comfort, warmth, and dignity to those who need it most.

Through FOOD, Karan reminds us that healing begins not just with medicine, but also with empathy and a hot meal.

Image Credit: Saind147, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Image Reference: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:South_Indian_Breakast_Idli_Vada_Sambar_Chutney.JPG