CHENNAI : Cripsy kambu vadai, fluffy millet idli with vegetable sambhar, and creamy thinai payasam — an indulgent spread is laid out at the Madhuram Narayanan Centre for Exceptional Children (MNC). Colourful charts detailing the types of millet, the history of these protein-rich grains, and their benefits are displayed on the walls. Welcome to the 17th edition of the Nutri Fest, at Bala Mandir Kamaraj Trust in T Nagar.
Themed ‘Incorporation of Millets Rich in Micronutrients in daily diet’, the festival aims to raise awareness about nutrition, traditional ingredients, and early intervention for children with disabilities. In a cookery competition and exhibition, four groups of parents experimented with the use of millets in breakfasts, snacks, and meals for lactating mothers. Hundred-odd parents of MNC students whipped up and exhibited balanced millet-based recipes. Group B comprising Jeevitha, Vasantham, Amudha, Aishwarya, Kabila and Indra emerged victorious, bagging a shield.
Bhagyalakshmi, a parent of a student with autism and a member of Group D, explains, “We made recipes for children aged 12-18 years. Children with disabilities must avoid heavy food and we were looking at how to promote nutrition and avoid obesity with these suggestions.” Another parent, Vanitha, adds that traditional recipes boost nutrition and energy levels.
The need for advancing nutrition and combating deficits is crucial among children with disabilities. Often, disabled children reel from a lack of good nutrition and caregivers grapple with a lack of awareness. While providing early intervention services, MNC noticed rates of absenteeism in the school, and reduced food intake due to issues with sucking, biting, and chewing. “We began to look into it deeply; our children have cerebral palsy, autism, down syndrome, with seizures, swallowing difficulties, or come down with cold and coughs. We tested them and found their haemoglobin levels were low, and realised that child should be free from worms and be given nutritional food,” says executive committee member Jaya Krishnaswamy.
Cut to 2004, the Annapoorna programme was started to provide nutritional supplements and conduct yearly Nutri fests to educate and senisitse mothers on calorific values and daily diets. “Parents knew terms like sattu but were not aware of how to put it into practice with meagre resources at home, as not everyone can afford everything. Around 80% of parents here come from disadvantaged groups. With this programme, they began to think of using available resources and making nutritional, tasty food,” says Jaya.
Karpaga Niranjana, special educator, says, “Millets are in trend but people are still hesitant about how to prepare. This year’s fest is an eye-opener for them to ensure they can do it. Millets are organic, any strata group can reach out to millets instead of rice,” she says.
Judges of the competition were nutritionist Rama Narayanan, ‘Millet queen’ Krishnakumari Jayakumar, paediatrician Dr Nikhila Sharma and G Deepa. Muthuperiyanayaki, coordinator of Annapoorana, and S Krishnan, general secretary of MNC, were present.