Have a look at our journey towards creating a society free from Hunger.
Stepping into the charitable activities, ‘Bhojana-Amritam’, a free meal programme was started for underprivileged in-patient attendants at Indo American Cancer Hospital at Hyderabad on 1st November 2011. This activity was initiated under the entity ‘Hare Krishna Movement, Hyderabad’.
MEIL partners with Hare Krishna Movement to expand the Bhojana-Amritam program to Niloufer Hospital. This is the first partnership between the Hare Krishna Movement and MEIL. This partnership later went on to setup 10 Centres including Government hospitals, Market yards and others.
Hare Krishna Movement receives requests from several Government and Trust run hospitals to implement the Bhojana-Amirtam programme in their respective hospitals at Hyderabad.
In order to bring sharp focus into charitable feeding activities and expand other charitable and cultural activities, a separate Trust – Hare Krishna Movement Charitable Foundation (HKMCF) was created on 17th May 2013, by Hare Krishna Movement Hyderabad (HKM). This is the official birth of Hare Krishna Charities.
Bhojana-Amritam program extends to Osmania Hospital on 14th December 2013. It was inaugurated by Sri. Somesh Kumar, the then GHMC Commissioner (current Chief Secretary, Govt of Telangana). He was impressed with cause of feeding the poor and meticulous execution of service by HKMCF.
Sri. Satya Gaura Chandra Dasa, President – HKM Charitable Foundation proposes to implement a subsidized meal program for the urban poor in Hyderabad in partnership with GHMC.
Sri. Somesh Kumar, the then GHMC commissioner (current Chief Secretary of Telangana) invites Hare Krishna Movement Charitable Foundation to discuss on the implementation of Rs 5/- Meal across Hyderabad and discusses on various aspects like cost, menu, centers, cleanliness, centralized kitchen and all other requirements in implementing the scheme.
The grand launch of Rs. 5/- meal program on 2nd March 2014 in 8 centers serving about 2400 meals per day in partnership with Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC).
‘Saddimoota’, a subsidized meal program benefiting farmers and hamalis of different market yards was inaugurated by Sri. Harish Rao garu on 24th July 2014, the then Agriculture Minister of Telangana (current Finance Minister) at Bowenpally Market yard. Several other dignitaries like Sri. Padma Rao, Minister of Excise & Prohibition; Sri. Sayanna, MLA of Cantonment board, Secunderabad also participated in the inaugural ceremony.
On 4th December 2014, Aurobindo Pharma Foundation came forward to sponsor the First Hi–Tech Kitchen of Hare Krishna Charities in Telangana.
On 19th November 2015, Rs. 5/- Meal programme was expanded to 50 centres in Hyderabad serving around 15,000 meals per day.
Sri. K Taraka Rama Rao garu, Hon’ble Minister of IT and MA & UD, inaugurated First Hi–Tech Kitchen of Telangana with the capacity of 40,000 meals per day. This kitchen was built with the support of Aurobindo Pharma Foundation.
In a historic decision, Sri. K Chandrashekar Rao garu, Honorable Chief Minister of Telangana State, envisioned the expansion of the Rs.5/- meal program from 50 centres to 150 centres.
On 17th February 2017, Hare Krishna Charities started its 100th Rs. 5/- meal centre in Hyderabad by feeding 25,000 meals per day. By this time, Hare Krishna Charities has reached serving of 3000 meals per day in 14 hospitals under Bhojana-Amritam program and 1200 meals per day in 4 market yards under Saddimoota program.
Sri. K. Taraka Rama Rao garu, Hon’ble Minister of IT, MA & UD, announces the name of the subsidized Rs. 5/- Meal program to be “ANNAPURNA“ on 16th March 2017, during an Assembly session.
2nd kitchen is inaugurated on 31st May 2017 at Warangal with a capacity of 20,000 meals per day to expand feeding programs outside Hyderabad.
Annapurna Program reaches 150 centers serving 35,000 meals per day in Hyderabad on 1st June 2017. Annapurna program expands first time outside Hyderabad and goes to Warangal on 2nd June 2017 where the then Dy. CM Sri. Kadiyam Srihari garu inaugurated 8 centers in GWMC limits.
‘Swasthya Ahara’ Programme, a free millet based breakfast meal for Government school children was launched in Government Nehru Memorial School at Malakpet, Hyderabad serving more than 400 children per day. This program has a great mission ahead and envisions its expansion to all the government schools in the State benefitting lakhs of underprivileged and undernourished children.
In October 2017, Aurobindo Pharma Foundation came forward to sponsor 2 new centralized community kitchens at Srikakulam and Mahabubnagar.
Hare Krishna Charities receives invitations from several other municipalities and municipal Corporations in Telangana to implement Annapurna program as directed by Commissioner and Director of Municipal Administration.
By December 2018, HKMCF had reached the target of serving 40,000 meals in 160 Annapurna Centres, 3000 meals per day in 14 Bhojana Amritam centres (hospitals) and 1200 meals per day in 4 Saddimoota Centres across Telangana State.
Sri. YS Jagan Mohan Reddy garu, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, inaugurated the centralized community kitchen with a capacity of 25,000 meals per day at Srikakulam on 6th September 2019. The inaugural ceremony also marked the presence of Sri Tammineni Sitaram garu, Hon’ble Speaker – Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly; Sri Adimulapu Suresh garu, Hon’ble Minister for Education; Sri Dharmana Krishna Das, Hon’ble Minister for Roads and Buildinding.
Hare Krishna Charities serves 1.7 Lakh meals per day across the State of Telangana during the peak of COVID-19 crisis. Our kitchen in Narsingi-Hyderabad worked round the clock with minimal staff without a single day break to feed the needy in Hyderabad. Hare Krishna Charities served 2 Crore meals during COVID-19 lockdown period.
Hare Krishna Charities rises to the occasion and ably assists the Government in distribution of 35,000 dry ration kits to victims of the historic floods in Hyderabad.
HKMCF had reached the target of serving 40,000 meals in 175+ Annapurna Centre, 3000 meals per day in 15+ Bhojanamrita Centres (hospitals) and 1200 meals per day in 4 Saddimoota Centres across Telangana State.
HKMCF to serve 3 course meal to in-patient & out-patient attenders under the Annapurna program at 18 hospitals in Hyderabad
Inauguration of hospital feeding in 18 Govt. hospitals
Inauguration of separate kitchen for Hospital feeding
Bhoomipuja of Perumallapuram project
