ANANTAPUR: Popular among the poor and the destitute for his Rs 5 per meal initiative, Guntapalli Charan Nanda has been feeding over 300 people daily at his canteen situated on the way to the Anantapur bus station.Nanda offers a variety of cooked rice such as curry leaf rice and tiger rice apart from dal, chips, pickles, chutney and Chitranna, which cost him Rs 4,000-Rs 5,000 every day. He manages to run the eatery with the help of donations.
Nanda, who took part in a free food programme for patients in government hospitals, was moved upon seeing leftover food that was either being dumped or fed to animals.He has been running ‘Spandana’ for over a decade, an organisation that operates shelters for the elderly and those with special needs. It has also taken up women empowerment and ‘Green India’ initiatives.
Born in a family of barbers, Charan said: “As a kid, I was subjected to a lot of caste discrimination. People didn’t even give us their houses on rent because of our caste. I had the least interest to become a hairdresser. It was my father who pursued me to learn the craft.”After working as a hairdresser for years, Charan was able to secure a job to counsel HIV patients at government hospitals. “Closely working with many HIV patients and sex workers inspired me to take up social service. I resigned as a counsellor and started Spandana, whose primary work is to feed the poor.”
With his ultimate aim to make Anantapur free of poverty, Charan Nanda is also planning to build a 500-bed shelter for the destitute and homeless. “A toll-free number will be launched as part of this programme,” he said.