SRIKAKULAM: A WhatsApp group created by a police constable, a lawyer and their 10 friends when all of them had gone on a vacation two years ago, has now turned into a platform, which they use to help needy people. The group, which was created to share memories of their trip, has now become a space where they share information about the plight of the poor and destitute during Covid-19. With the help of the information, the friends ensure that there is one less empty stomach to fill.
They have, so far, fed hundreds of destitute. Venkatesh, a head constable attached to the Srikakulam I Town police station, and his friend ‘Taekwondo’ Srinu created the group, and named it ‘Boss is Back’ after their vacation. Though busy with their professional lives, they have been using the WhatsApp platform to recollect the memories of their trip and crack jokes at leisure time. After curfew was imposed to contain Covid spread, Venkatesh, Srinu and their friends Vijay Kumar and Sudhir Varma started discussing the plight of orphans and beggars.
They decided to do their bit and shared their intention with other friends. The friends, who like to call themselves ‘Bachelors of Social Service’ or Boss, started pooling funds from their earnings a couple of months ago to help the people in dire straits. Initially, they contributed `5,000 each and the amount was used to buy food for the poor. Though they asked a hotel to prepare the food, they took out time from their busy schedule to distribute it to orphans and beggars at major junctions in the town.
‘Chiranjeevi inspires us in doing social service’
Venkatesh said, “I often see orphans and beggars waiting for some generous persons to offer them food while I am on night duty. Due to curfew restrictions, not many people come out of their houses at night. So I shared my opinion with my friends in the WhatsApp group. They are equally driven towards the cause, and with their help we are able to serve food to the poor at night.” As more and more people require nutritious food during the pandemic, the friends even distribute non-vegetarian food to orphans and beggars. “I believe that serving people is serving god. We like the group’s name ‘Boss is Back’ very much as ‘Megastar’ Chiranjeevi inspires us in doing social service,” Srinu added.