Hyderabad: In the ever-bustling city of Hyderabad, amidst its towering structures and busy streets, a heartwarming story of generosity and compassion unfolds daily. The Padru Jain Yuva Sangathan, a community-driven initiative started by 150 families from a remote village in Rajasthan, is feeding hundreds of hungry souls for a mere Re 1 per meal.
These families, originally from Padru in Barmer district, Rajasthan—close to the Pakistan border—migrated to Hyderabad to pursue business opportunities. Despite being far from their homeland, they felt a deep sense of responsibility to give back to the city that became their ‘Karmabhumi’. Thus, the youth from these families formed the Padru Jain Yuva Sangathan, a group committed to the vision of ‘Work for Mankind’ (WFM), focusing on providing essential resources like water, food, and medical assistance to the underprivileged.
The initiative began in 2012 with the establishment of drinking water camps across Hyderabad. Within a year, they successfully set up eight camps. Encouraged by this impact, they expanded their efforts in 2013 by launching a food distribution drive under the banner of ‘Gareeb Rath’.
However, the challenge remained: identifying the right beneficiaries. “Many times, beggars receive food, but not all poor people are beggars,” explained Bharat Jain, the Sangathan’s publicity secretary. “We decided to target hospital attenders—relatives of patients—who often struggle to afford meals but maintain their self-respect.”
By providing food at Re 1, the Sangathan ensured dignity for the recipients. The initiative gained widespread attention, with many well-wishers offering more than the token amount. “People would often give us Rs 100 instead of Re 1, appreciating our efforts,” Jain shared.
To sustain this noble cause, the participating families took turns sponsoring meals, often dedicating them to the memory of their loved ones. During the COVID-19 lockdown, their work intensified as they provided three meals a day—morning, afternoon, and night—to those in dire need.
Today, their kitchen in Begum Bazar churns out 200 meal packets daily. Recognising that daily wage laborers struggle to find food on Sundays when shops remain closed, they introduced a special night meal distribution on Sundays.
The initiative soon garnered widespread support, with donors stepping in to sponsor meals on birthdays, anniversaries, and other special occasions. The cost of providing food for a day is Rs 6,500, covering 200 meal packets and biscuits. Inspired by the overwhelming response, the Sangathan now aspires to extend their humanitarian work by providing medical insurance for the needy, starting with their community and eventually expanding to others.
Sangathan president Shravan Sanklecha reiterated their mission: “Our primary goal is to provide drinking water to the thirsty and food to the hungry. We will always be available for any cause aligned with this vision.” The organization is supported by dedicated individuals, fondly called ‘Morning Heroes’, including Praveen Dheldiya, Suresh Sanklecha, Lalit Bafna, Manakchand, Raju Khatri, Santosh Dheldiya, Bharat Mardiya, Bharat Balad, Mukesh Balad, and Bharat Kataria.
