The joy of giving..............

3. Hero is a very strong word, but it fits 34-year-old Narayanan
Krishnan perfectly. During the last 12 years, he has served over
1.5 million meals to India’s homeless, mostly people
abandoned by their families, either suffering from mental
conditions or too old to care for themselves.
Back in 2002, young Narayanan Krishnan was already an
award-winning chef working in a high-class restaurant for the
prestigious Taj Hotels, and close to securing a job with another
5-star hotel, in Switzerland. Just before heading off to Europe,
he traveled to his home town of Madurai, to visit his parents,
where witnessed a scene that changed the course of his life
forever.

4. ”I saw a very old man eating his own human waste for food,” Krishnan
told CNN. “It really hurt me so much. I was literally shocked for a
second. After that, I started feeding that man and decided this is what
I should do the rest of my lifetime.”
Although he was a Brahmin – an upper class Hindu – destined for a
successful career as a chef, Narayanan decided to give it all up and
dedicate his life to helping those who couldn’t help themselves.
Shaken by the scene he has witnessed in Madurai, he quit his job
within a week, convinced his destiny wasn’t to cook elaborate dishes
for the rich and famous, but provide sustenance to those who needed
it most. “That night I thought, what am I doing? I am selling a plate of
fried rice for ten dollars in my hotel where people come and have food
for fantasy, fun, joy and recreation. Not for hunger. They eat only half
portion of it and leave half of in the plate. It was a spark, a very
powerful spark that I had,” the young chef said about the event that
made him what he is today.

35. Throughout the year, CNN profiles inspiring
individuals around the world for their CNN Heroes
series. Now, the news channel has announced the
top 10 "heroes" of 2010and Krishnan has been
selected to this list of CNN's Top 10 heroes of 2010.
He is the only Indian in a list of 10 heroes that CNN
has picked worldwide to honour. One of them will
be chosen CNN Hero of the Year, selected by the
public through an online poll. Anyone can vote him
till 18th, November 2010.

37. BROUGHT TO YOU BY
J.JAYAKRISHNAN