For the past 15 days, Gurugram resident Dr Varun Gupta, 32, has been serving wholesome nutritious food to home-quarantined Covid patients, senior citizens, homeless, unemployed migrant workers since two months, slum dwellers, and even maternity hospitals and health workers, using his own money.
“Money is not an issue. Since I began working, I have been keeping aside 20 percent of my monthly income for the social cause. My parents and brother do the same. This is the money we are using now. Some good souls are helping us, like Sector 42 resident Poonam Gupta gave us disposable plates and cutlery and Sadar Bazaar (Gurugram) resident Arun Mangala donated 125 kg rice, 25 kg pulses, besides salt and spices,” says Gupta, who resides at Emaar Imperial Garden, Sector 102, Gurugram.
Helping Dr Gupta in his endeavour is a team of seven people, including his younger brother Mohit Gupta and his wife Neha, mother Bhavna Gupta, driver Kuldeep, two office staff and a volunteer Dhruv who connected him through Facebook.
“In this hour of need, I have committed myself to do everything I can wherein I can provide some succour to people in need,” he says adding if more people join him, he can take his relief measure across India.
“We give each person two meals a day that comprises a bowl of rice, four chapatis, a bowl of dal, sabzi, salad and yoghurt or ORS (Vitamin C). But some people only want one meal a day.” This pandemic, he says, can be defeated only if the people stand strongly together, and reach out to each and help each other.
Since childhood, this follower of Lord Krishna has attended discourses of Shrimad Bhagwat Katha at ISKCON and others organised in his home and neighbourhood. “I also used to attend satsang of Sukhmani Sahib Ji Path daily at evening at our residence, and there too it is taught that giving food to the needy person is the biggest way to worship God. Nutritious food is something everyone needs, particularly now.” However, it was the recent news of a Covid positive pregnant woman and her baby having died during delivery that actually jolted him into doing this kind of sewa (service).
Dr Gupta supplies food in and around Gurugram (Sector 11, 40, 47, 52, 66, 90, 91, Subhash Chowk, IFFCO Chowk, DLF, Ardee City) and Delhi (Sanjay Colony, Bhatti Mines, Chattarpur, Nangloi and Kataria Chowk migrant workers). He began with distributing 1,000 to 1,500 meals per week, but the demand is increasing gradually. “As many youngsters are now expressing their wish to join us as a volunteer, we plan to spread our base further,” he says.
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