In 1863, Ludwig Andreas Feuerbach (a German philosopher) wrote “Man is what he eats”. He was stating that the food one eats has a bearing on one’s state of mind and health. Food for Life Global affiliate, ISKCON Food Relief Foundation (IFRF) agrees. The humanitarian project based in India, is founded on the belief that the intake of food not only grants a person material survival, but also offers a chance to enrich their spirit. Preparing and serving food to others has always been an inherent part of the Indian culture. In the village life of ancient India, the householders saw themselves as food providers for all living beings, including animals. Not even a rat or a snake would go without food during the pinnacle of Vedic civilization in India. The Vedas declare that those who are cooking for themselves are simply eating sin, and therefore, it was critical for the householder to be hospitable and unselfish. The roots of IFRF date back to 1974, when the Vedic scholar and guru, Srila Prabhupada told his students, “No one within a ten mile radius of our temples should go hungry”. When the Government of India launched a strategic program in 1994 called the Midday Meal Scheme to fight two of the most pressing problems of India – hunger and illiteracy, IFRF saw a great opportunity for providing children with the right nutrition to support their education. The Midday Meal Project is being implemented by IFRF under the name of ‘annamrita’ meaning food as pure as nectar. Director of the project, Radha Krishna Das explains, “The first thing that comes to mind, when you think of nutritious food, is what a mother serves her child, and that’s what annamrita stands for. We strive to serve food to children, with the same love and devotion that otherwise their mother would […]