Inside the Byculla Community Kitchen that feeds 18,000 daily

Before we arrive at noon, the community kitchen in Byculla has not just prepared the food for the kin of the hospital patients but has also delivered it through their volunteers while the rest of kitchen staff is already preparing for the next meal - to be served in the evening to the same hospitals in and across Mumbai. 

Located in the not-so-busy lane of Keshavrao Borkar Marg, Akshaya Chaitanya remains closed, its big tin gate open to reveal the aroma of freshly cooked vegetables and rice inside. “The chef comes at around 5 and the process begins,” informs a staff member who shows the place. 

In the 8,000 sq. ft. area, this community kitchen stores locally sourced vegetables in a tidy manner while they are cleaned, washed, and even sorted in a fully FSSAI-approved facility. We navigated the kitchen, which was clean and segregated to our notice, even though the meals for as many as 18,000 individuals had already been prepared by then.

Operational since 2022, the community kitchen has been distributing two meals a day at hospitals such as King Edward Memorial (KEM) in Parel, Nair Hospital in Mumbai Central, Cama in Fort, CSMH in Thane, Cooper Hospital in Vile Parle, and a total of 32 hospitals and cancer care centres. 

Additionally, the food is also distributed at 102 schools, some of which also include  the h

A triggering sight and the beginning

Talking to Local Samosa, Vikas Parchhanda, from Akshaya Chaitanya, narrates how a heart-wrenching moment witnessed by Srila Prabhupada, where children were seen competing with stray dogs for food scraps in Mayapur, led to the initiative. 

The sight led to a compassionate response where Prabhupada vowed to ensure that no one within a 10-mile radius of his centre would go hungry. “Today, this vision continues to guide our charitable feeding initiatives,” Vikas Parchhanda says. 

While in the kitchen, safety and no waste are ensured, Mr. Parchhanda affirms that through continuous monitoring and by preparing food in optimal quantities, waste is avoided. “We use data-driven insights to predict demand and plan our food distribution accordingly. The regular tracking of food distribution and waste management processes is done to identify the areas for improvement,” Mr. Prachhanda adds.

The community kitchen also tracks the economic savings per family, as well as the positive impact on patient recovery rates for their Hospital Feeding Program. For the School Feeding Program, the team monitors increased attendance and improved academic performance to assess the impact of the drives. 

While India ranks 27.3 on the 2024 Global Hunger Index and is considered “serious” according to the GHI Severity of Hunger Scale, Mumbai is not immune to urban poverty, with hunger issues remaining evident on the streets. 

Opining on the same, Mr. Parchhanda says, “Mumbai’s slums are often plagued by food insecurity. Residents face difficulties in accessing nutritious food, exacerbating malnutrition.” Commenting on the healthcare system, he further says, “Mumbai’s healthcare system is overburdened, making it challenging to address malnutrition and related health issues effectively. Investing in children's health, as well as nutrition-specific interventions, is crucial.”