Venkataraman, owner of AMV Homely Mess has been providing the Re one meal for the past eight years.
Erode:
What can Re one get you in these days of escalating costs?
A full meal no less, at a mess run by a service-minded man for the attenders of poor patients at the Government Headquarters Hospital in Erode.
Venkataraman, owner of AMV Homely Mess has been providing the Re one meal for the past eight years, besides the regular "tiffin" in the morning and night.
He recalls an incident in 2007 which moved him to make this decision. An old woman came to his mess to buy idlis for her ailing husband when there were none available.
He suggested she buy three dosas for Rs 10. She however, said it was costly for her. Even if she did manage to do buy them, she would have to share it equally with her husband and it would be inadequate for both of them.
Venkatraman said he immediately gave her six dosas for the same price, and since then started offering tiffin and meals at low rates to the attenders of patients at the hospital.
"In 2007, I visited Government Headquarters Hospital and enquired about patients with the incharge nurse there. I was told by their attenders that almost all patients there were from poor families and could not afford food daily; only tea or bread at noon and night."
He then decided to offer food at lower rates to such attenders of patients.
He visited the Government Hospital the next day, met nurses and senior doctors and told them he would provide meals at Re one to an attender. From that day on, he and his wife began visiting the hospital daily to offer 10 tokens to attenders.
"Now for the past few months the number has increased from 10 to 70 per day. In the morning I give 10 tokens, for which three dosas and two idlis are given. In the afternoon, 40 attenders are given meals comprising five items and at night 20 attenders are given dosa and chapati, every meal for just Re one.
"We have decided to increase the number from 70 to 100 in the coming years," he says.
His wife said they charge Rs 50 per meal from the public, but are planning to continue the Re one meal scheme, despite incurring heavy losses.
Venkatraman employs eight workers at his mess and there is no service on Sundays.
"I am ready to grant the food free of cost, but if I collect at least Re one, the buyer will not waste it. The food is given in packets and no one is allowed to eat inside the mess, but are advised to take it to the hospital, where others can also share the food."
The couple have two girl children, one of whom is married and the other an engineering student.
A full meal no less, at a mess run by a service-minded man for the attenders of poor patients at the Government Headquarters Hospital in Erode.
Venkataraman, owner of AMV Homely Mess has been providing the Re one meal for the past eight years, besides the regular "tiffin" in the morning and night.
He recalls an incident in 2007 which moved him to make this decision. An old woman came to his mess to buy idlis for her ailing husband when there were none available.
He suggested she buy three dosas for Rs 10. She however, said it was costly for her. Even if she did manage to do buy them, she would have to share it equally with her husband and it would be inadequate for both of them.
Venkatraman said he immediately gave her six dosas for the same price, and since then started offering tiffin and meals at low rates to the attenders of patients at the hospital.
"In 2007, I visited Government Headquarters Hospital and enquired about patients with the incharge nurse there. I was told by their attenders that almost all patients there were from poor families and could not afford food daily; only tea or bread at noon and night."
He then decided to offer food at lower rates to such attenders of patients.
He visited the Government Hospital the next day, met nurses and senior doctors and told them he would provide meals at Re one to an attender. From that day on, he and his wife began visiting the hospital daily to offer 10 tokens to attenders.
"Now for the past few months the number has increased from 10 to 70 per day. In the morning I give 10 tokens, for which three dosas and two idlis are given. In the afternoon, 40 attenders are given meals comprising five items and at night 20 attenders are given dosa and chapati, every meal for just Re one.
"We have decided to increase the number from 70 to 100 in the coming years," he says.
His wife said they charge Rs 50 per meal from the public, but are planning to continue the Re one meal scheme, despite incurring heavy losses.
Venkatraman employs eight workers at his mess and there is no service on Sundays.
"I am ready to grant the food free of cost, but if I collect at least Re one, the buyer will not waste it. The food is given in packets and no one is allowed to eat inside the mess, but are advised to take it to the hospital, where others can also share the food."
The couple have two girl children, one of whom is married and the other an engineering student.
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