Narayanan Krishnan

Narayanan Krishnan
Born 1981 (age 34–35)
Madurai, Tamil Nadu
Residence Madurai
Nationality Indian
Citizenship Indian
Occupation Social Worker / Chef (past)
Known for Feeding Homeless
Home town Madurai
Website http://www.akshayatrust.org/

Narayanan Krishnan (born in 1981 in Madurai, Tamil Nadu) is an Indian chef-turned-social worker.[1]

Early life

Krishnan was an award-winning chef with Taj Hotels, Bangalore and was short-listed for an elite job in Switzerland. After witnessing a distressing incident in 2002, he quit his job and began feeding the homeless and mentally disabled in his hometown. He said, "I saw a very old man, literally eating his own human waste out of hunger. I went to the nearby hotel and asked them what was available. They had idli, which I bought and gave to the old man. Believe me, I had never seen a person eating so fast, ever. As he ate the food, his eyes were filled with tears. Those were the tears of happiness."[2][3]

Career

Krishnan founded the Akshaya Trust organization in 2003, which helps to feed the homeless and mentally-disabled in Madurai, Tamil Nadu. He serves breakfast, lunch and dinner to 425 indigent and elderly people in Madurai.[4][5]

He also provides haircuts and shaves to give dignity to those he serves. He was selected as one of the Top 10 in "CNN heroes 2010" list.[6][7][8]

The character Narayanan Krishnan played by Jayaprakash in the 2012 Malayalam film Ustad Hotel is based on him.[9]

Controversy

In June 2014 a 23-year-old inmate who escaped from the Akshaya Trust home alleged that she was sexually abused. This cast a shadow over the non-profit organization, and the media jumped on the sensational story.[10] However, the Akshaya Trust home was fully exonerated by the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court.[11] They later ordered the Madurai police to rescue the mentally distressed from the streets of Madurai and house them in Akshaya trust.[12]

References

  1. ↑ "Catch: He brings hot meals to India's homeless" from NDTV
  2. ↑ "Once a rising star, chef now feeds hungry" from CNN
  3. ↑ IBN-Live
  4. ↑ "Roy Exum: He’s Still My Hero" from The Chattanoogan
  5. ↑ TheHindu June-2006
  6. ↑ CNN-heroes-2010
  7. ↑ Times of India - Dec 2010
  8. ↑ AtlantaDunia - Salute to real hero
  9. ↑ "Narayanan Krishnan – The real inspiration behind the latest malayalam movie ‘Usthad Hotel’". Retrieved November 21, 2012.
  10. ↑ "Inmate's rape allegation casts shadow over Akshaya Trust"
  11. ↑ "Court verdict exonerates Akshaya Trust"
  12. ↑ "Court order directing Madurai Police to rescue the mentally distressed from the streets of Madurai and house them in Akshaya trust"

External links

See also

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