Bargarh (Odisha): A social worker from Odisha's Bargarh, who has been feeding over 700 people on a daily basis during the lockdown, earned the praise of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan for his incredible work.
Guddi Rao, who is a railway contractor by profession, owns an eatery near the railway station in Bargarh. Moved by the plight of the poor, he started providing them meals at his eatery at Rs 10.
Within a short period of time, his eatery, named 'Sai Aahaar Kendra' gained prominence, with around 400 people buying the Rs 10 meal daily. There used to be a line right outside his store, as people waited to get the cheaply-priced wholesome meal, which included cooked rice, Dalma (a dal and vegetable dish) and pickle.
However, once the nationwide lockdown was imposed, Rao could not bear the plight of the poor, many of who were out of jobs owing to the situation. He then decided to do away with the Rs 10 charge and made all meals completely free.
Ever since the lockdown was enforced, Rao has been feeding 700 to 800 hungry people on a daily basis from his own pocket. Strict social distancing norms are also followed, as white boxes have been marked on the ground.
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A migrant worker from Uttar Pradesh, who currently has no source of income, thanked Rao for providing hundreds like him with free meals everyday. He added that if not for Rao, many people would have starved during the lockdown.
Rao's noble work drew him appreciation from all quarters, including that of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan.
While the Chief Minister tweeted a message praising Rao for his work, Bachchan went a step ahead and called him up.
In the over one-hour-long conversation, Bachchan inquired about the well-being of his family. Rao said that the actor thanked him for his work and also extended his wishes for the future.
As Rao's story gained prominence, he started receiving financial assistance from all across the world for his noble initiative.
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