From hunger to hope: A kitchen that feeds Puducherry

March 10, 2026 Unknown Wizards Valli Sarvani

Acts of kindness often begin with memories of hardship. In Puducherry, one small restaurant quietly proves this truth every single morning.

On the lively Beach Road, the eatery Sri Sai Vegetarian Healthy Foods serves fast food to tourists each evening.

However, at dawn, the same kitchen becomes a lifeline for the hungry.

For 658 consecutive days, 38-year-old A. Arun has prepared free midday meals for at least 150 people.

Street dwellers, daily wage labourers, Narikuravas, and sanitation workers gather for a proper meal.

Arun and his assistants start cooking before sunrise. Huge vessels simmer with rice, sambar, rasam, kootu, and kara kuzhambu.

Sometimes the menu includes vegetable biryani. Twice a week, he adds non-vegetarian dishes like chicken curry, egg curry, or fish curry.

Arun said that he serves the same food they eat at home and added that the menu changes daily, so people receive fresh meals rather than leftovers.

By noon, the team packs food with water bottles and plates. Soon after, they distribute meals near Bharathi Park and other corners of town.

Arun’s compassion grew from a painful childhood. He grew up in Uppalam, where poverty shaped everyday life.

His father worked as an ice supplier but struggled with alcoholism, while his mother laboured at construction sites.

Often, the family survived on a single meal, and some nights they drank only water and went to bed hungry.

During school days, Arun faced ridicule for torn clothes and missing notebooks. Occasionally, he searched for leftover food at wedding halls but was chased away.

Yet hardship pushed him to work early. He started doing odd jobs in Class 8. Later, after his father’s death, he continued working while completing school.

Over time, he saved money from several jobs. First came a toy shop. Later, he ran a balloon cart near the Nehru statue.

After seven years, those savings helped him start a fast-food stall. Eventually, he launched the Thedal Sevagan Trust to support the poor.

Although donations arrive for sponsored meals, Arun still funds much of the effort himself. He keeps aside money in a small hundi. When someone needs clothes or shoes, he spends it immediately.

His work extends beyond food. Arun counsels alcohol-dependent labourers and homeless men. Around 20 people have already quit drinking. One of them, Rathinam from Theni, rebuilt his life after Arun bought him barber tools.

Today, Arun dreams bigger. He hopes to build a shelter where pavement dwellers can live and work. Until then, his kitchen continues its quiet mission, serving dignity, one plate at a time.

Image from Pxhere (Free for commercial use / CC0 Public Domain)

Image Published on March 05, 2017