Vikas Khanna,49
Chef, Philanthropist
The master chef provided over 50 million meals to migrants at a time when they needed that most
From his Manhattan home, Vikas Khanna kept awake most nights to coordinate one of the biggest campaigns of his career. No, it was not the opening of a new restaurant or directing a movie (he did that too with Ellora, a restaurant in Dubai, and with The Last Color, a film starring Neena Gupta).
Rather, it was feeding hungry migrants waiting to go back home through his initiative Feed India. Beginning with cooked food, he soon switched to dry rations with help from a rice brand, ensuring people in need didn't go hungry. Shortlisting cities where food was needed, his team reached out to wholesalers and found volunteers to pack and deliver food kits.
Battling logistical issues, he relied on the National Disaster Response Force and corporates such as Pepsi, India Gate, Quaker Oats, Hyatt Regency and Global Funds for Widows to ensure people got what they wanted. The chef who rose to fame after his restaurant in New York, Junoon, won a Michelin star, has also hosted MasterChef in India.