CNN Heroes

Narayanan Krishnan was a bright, young, award-winning chef with a five-star hotel, who was on his way to Switzerland to open an elite restaurant among others, but before he left his native land, his life changed forever. “I saw a very old man eating his own human waste for food,” Krishnan said. “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 lifetime.” Krishnan rejected the opportunity that was previously offered and decided to help his community by providing food for the hungry and shelter for the homeless. Krishnan founded his nonprofit Akshaya Trust in 2003. Now at twenty nine years of age, he has served more than 1.2 million meals; breakfast, lunch and dinner, to India’s homeless and impoverished people, mostly elderly members of society who have been  abandoned by their families and often abused. Just to gain a better understanding of his typical workday, I will provide a schedule that is above all others. Krishnan’s day begins at four in the morning. He and his team cover nearly one hundred and twenty five miles in a donated van, routinely working in temperatures topping one hundred degrees Fahrenheit. The hot meals he delivers are simple, tasty vegetarian dishes that he personally prepares packs and often hand-feeds to nearly four-hundred clients each day. Krishnan carries a comb, scissors and razor and is trained in eight haircut styles that, along with a fresh shave, provides people with a greater sense of value and encouragement to those he serves. The group’s daily operation costs about three hundred and twenty seven dollars, but a majority of the finances are sponsored donations, but even those only cover twenty two days each month. He is quoted as saying, “Now I am feeling so comfortable and so happy.” I have a passion, I enjoy my work. I want to live with my people.”