In Pursuit Of Happiness

How the meaning of happiness differ from person to person. Millions will be so happy to settle down in heaven on earth Switzerland with a career of their choice with Euro in their purse. But not Narayanan Krishnan, CNN Hero.

He was working as a chef in a five star hotel. All set to go to Switzerland. The ultimate Indian middle class dream to settle in a foreign land. But happiness intervened. Before setting off to Switzerland, he thought of visiting his hometown and saw a human being eating his own waste for food under a bridge. What happened then?
“Krishnan founded his nonprofit Akshaya Trust in 2003. Now 29, he has served more than 1.2 million meals — breakfast, lunch and dinner — to India’s homeless and destitute, mostly elderly people abandoned by their families and often abused.”

“He seeks out the homeless under bridges and in the nooks and crannies between the city’s temples. The hot meals he delivers are simple, tasty vegetarian fare he personally prepares, packs and often hand-feeds to nearly 400 clients each day.

Krishnan carries a comb, scissors and razor and is trained in eight haircut styles that, along with a fresh shave, provide extra dignity to those he serves.”

What about his own parents and their aspirations? “Krishnan sleeps in Akshaya’s modest kitchen with his few co-workers. Since investing his entire savings of $2,500 in 2002, he has taken no salary and subsists with the help of his once-unsupportive parents.

“They had a lot of pain because they had spent a lot on my education,” he said. “I asked my mother, ‘Please come with me, see what I am doing.’ After coming back home, my mother said, ‘You feed all those people, the rest of the lifetime I am there, I will feed you.’ I’m living for Akshaya. My parents are taking care of me.””

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