TIRUPATI: Gopal, a small hotelier, has made meeting food requirements of poor patients and their attendants at Sri Venkateswara Ramnarain Ruia Government General Hospital his mission. He distributes free food to the patients’ attendants with the support of a few of his friends. He has been doing this assiduously for the past five years.
He started Amma Vodi Charitable Trust in 2015 and distributing food to the needy in and around the temple town. Gopal distributes vegetable biryani along with a mixed vegetable curry. He serves chicken biryani thrice a month.
Following the surge in Covid cases in Chittoor district, a majority of those accompanying the patients rely on hotel food, during visits to SVR Ruia GGH. If the patient gets admitted to the hospital, the attendants have to wait on the hospital premises and suffer pangs of hunger for hours before Gopal and his food vehicle arrive.
“I have distributed food to more than 1.5 lakh people till now with the support of my friends. We carry with us food needed for 250 to 300 people per trip. My uncle, family members and workers in my hotel help me in cooking the food for needy people,” he said.
Free food at GGH, some more areas
Queried how he got the idea to serve free food, Gopal said he and his family went on a pilgrimage to Penusila Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple in Nellore in 2012. On the way, he escaped unhurt in a major accident. “Having escaped from the accident, I took it as a propitious occurrence and decided to distribute food to those in need in Tirupati.
I distributed food to a small number of people initially. I set up a trust in 2015. Later, some of my friends joined me,’’ Gopal told TNIE. Many of his friends approach him now for celebrating their birthdays and other occasions by donating money for the food distribution programme. Gopal and his team distribute free food at SV Ruia GGH and some more areas, including ST colonies, during Covid-19. He has been in the hospitality sector for more than 40 years.