Daily, close to the buzzing streets of Mayapuri in West Delhi, at round 12 pm, a number of women and a 70-year-old volunteer quietly arrange a meals stall. No banners, no flashy indicators, just some folks busy arranging plates, dishes, and on the point of serve meals to passers-by.
In nearly half an hour, a crowd begins to flock to the stall — each day wage employees, rickshaw pullers, supply executives — all queuing up patiently, not for charity, however for a scorching, home-cooked meal they will pay for with dignity.
On the coronary heart of this humble effort is 53-year-old Sanjay Dodrajka, a chartered accountant by career and a social employee by coronary heart.
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“I didn’t need folks to really feel like they’re begging or taking meals at no cost. Rs 10 might not seem to be a lot, however paying in your meals offers you self-respect. And that’s all the things,” smiles Sanjay.
From working in a company surroundings to serving folks
Sanjay turned a certified CA in 1996 and went on to work for corporates. He was not blissful as he believed he needed to do social work to have some goal in life. He give up his company job and started his personal CA agency round 2003. However his story didn’t finish with stability sheets and audits. “I used to be all the time drawn to social work, whilst a pupil,” he says.
In 2014, he misplaced his shut buddy in an air crash. Deeply affected by this tragedy, Sanjay and some of his associates began a volunteer-led NGO ‘Hamari Udaan’ in his late buddy’s reminiscence.
With no workplace, no full-time employees, and no grants, the initiative started with well being camps and college outreach programmes. However over time, they realised the influence of constant, easy acts—like serving nutritious meals every single day—was far larger.
And this thought gave delivery to the ‘Meals With Dignity’ programme.
Impressed by a volunteer promoting tea in Shimla and Noida’s ‘Dadi Ki Rasoi’
The spark behind his meals initiative got here from two folks: A Sikh gentleman quietly serving tea outdoors a authorities hospital in Shimla and the well-known ‘Dadi Ki Rasoi’ in Noida, the place scorching meals are supplied at simply 5 rupees.
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“They weren’t doing it for fame or funds. Simply pure service. That moved me,” Sanjay remembers.
Six and a half years in the past, the ‘Meals With Dignity’ programme was born. Aside from a short break in the course of the pandemic, it has been working each single day since.
To eat with dignity: A plate of rice at Rs 10
The idea of the programme is easy: For Rs 10, anybody can stroll as much as the stall and get a scorching plate of rice with a nutritious curry — be it rajma, lobia, chole, soya, or dal.
The meals are cooked contemporary every morning by a staff of native ladies. 5 ladies work within the kitchen, and one other 5 serve on the stall. “All the ladies are on a rotating shift and are paid Rs 300 for 2 hours of labor per day.
“Other than giving folks meals at an inexpensive worth, this initiative can be about giving ladies locally versatile and respectful employment,” Sanjay says.
On a median day, the staff serves 220 to 250 meals. They wrap all of it up by 2:30 pm.
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No workplace, no web site: Only a group of individuals doing what they love
Sanjay’s NGO is something however standard. There’s no fancy headquarters, no donation drives. His house and his workplace double as their NGO workspace.
“We’ve by no means obtained a grant. It’s simply my wage and a small group of associates who pitch in usually. That’s how we’ve saved Hamari Udaan going,” he says.
Each morning, a girl from the staff calls in with the amount of rice and curry wanted. The meals is ready by 11:30 am, packed, and despatched to the stall by way of an auto. A retired man, whom the staff lovingly calls ‘uncle’ from the neighbourhood, volunteers to oversee the service. Sanjay handles all the things else — from sourcing ration and arranging funds to creating certain salaries are paid.
“Sometimes, I eat on the stall too. I need them to know that if I belief the meals, they will too,” Sanjay says.
The mannequin operates on a skinny margin. Every meal prices round Rs 23 to 24, together with substances, gasoline, salaries, and logistics. The Rs 10 obtained from every plate helps get well part of the price. The remainder is borne by Sanjay and his circle of supporters. “It’s not a enterprise. It’s a duty.”
However Sanjay’s work doesn’t cease on the meals stall.
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Beneath Hamari Udaan, he additionally organises eye and dental camps, dietary periods in Municipal Company of Delhi (MCD) colleges, cycle security workshops, and even magic reveals to convey smiles to underprivileged youngsters. The staff works with round 50 MCD colleges in Delhi.
In a single venture, they designed and shipped cycle security stickers throughout India for manufacturing unit employees. “We don’t await a blueprint. If we see a necessity, we simply get to work,” he says.
A giant a part of the operation is powered by two ladies named Kavita and Seema, who run a Self-Assist Group (SHG) in Sanjay’s neighbourhood. They assist recruit and coordinate the ladies who work within the kitchen and stalls. “Kavita is just like the engine of the venture,” Sanjay says with gratitude.
Kavita, who runs her personal NGO Motion for Group Growth Belief, with a number of of her associates, has been actively concerned in serving to authorities college youngsters and women from underprivileged backgrounds. “We take tuitions for the federal government college college students and likewise assist women from beneath the poverty line by way of micro financing. We met Sanjay once we have been already into our social work and collaborated with him for the Meals with Dignity programme,” Kavita shares.
It’s in Kavita’s kitchen the place the meals is ready.
Azizul, a 57-year-old lady who works within the kitchen, shares that she has been related to the self-help group for 14 years now and has been with Sanjay’s staff ever for the reason that meals programme was launched. “I used to be a home assist earlier than this, which was unsure and didn’t have a daily earnings, and now I’ve a correct job to do,” she says.
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46-year-old Anita, who’s busy packing meals and loading it into the auto, speaks to us about her affiliation with the NGO. “It’s a blessing to be part of this staff. We’re doing an excellent deed every single day. I’ve two kids, with this secure earnings, I’m able to fund my kids’s training in the present day,” Anita shares.
Anita’s son is pursuing his engineering diploma whereas her daughter is at school. “At 46, I’m additionally capable of transfer round and maintain myself busy and match by doing this job.” She has been part of the SHG for 12 years now.
“It’s not tough to do that. You simply want three issues—belief, teamwork, and coronary heart. The remainder follows,” Sanjay provides. In a world obsessive about scale and velocity, Sanjay Dodrajka’s story is a quiet reminder that small, constant acts of kindness can have the largest influence.
Prepared to be part of this quiet revolution? Your contribution may also help somebody take pleasure in a scorching, home-cooked meal with self-respect. Every plate prices simply ₹10, however its influence is priceless. Scan the QR code to donate and help each day wage earners, rickshaw pullers, and supply employees with nutritious meals, all whereas empowering ladies with dignified livelihoods.
