Sri Nataraja Trust, an NGO based out of Chennai, has pledged to

donate Rs 365,000 (equivalent to $8300) annually to Food For Life ISKCON

Mayapur, which amounts to feeding 100 hungry people everyday.

The founder of the NGO is Lakshmi Narayanan, the Vice-Chairman

of ‘Cognizant Technology Solutions’, a leading IT Major in India. Mr.

Narayanan was previously the Chairman of NASSCOM, the apex industry body for

promoting software and services in India, and is currently a Board member of

the U.S.-India Business Council (USIBC).

Sri Nataraja Trust works on various social causes like education, healthcare

and helping the underprivileged. One of the members of the Trust,

Srimanikandan Ramamoorthy who is also the Director of Administration

of ‘Cognizant Techonology Solutions’, visits Sri Mayapur whenever he gets an

opportunity. He is very enthusiastic about Krishna Consciousness, chants

Hare Krishna and has even made an inspiring video clip about Srila

Prabhupada. His last visit to Sri Mayapur was in July 2009. At this time, he

had an audience with Jayapataka Swami, who inspired him to develop

his Krishna Consciousness further. During this visit he came across the Food

For Life (FFL) brochure and was moved by Srila Prabhupada’s mandate that

nobody should go hungry within a ten mile radius of Sri Mayapur Chandrodaya

Mandir.

On Janmastami day 2009, Ramamoorthy had a talk with Lakshmi Narayanan, who

instantly agreed for the contribution to be made from the Trust. Shortly

thereafter, when Mr. Narayanan came down to Kolkata from Chennai, he handed a

check to Acintya Caitanya dasa and his wife Shiromani Dasi for FFL Mayapur.

Bhakti Purusottama Swami, the Co-director of ISKCON Sri Mayapur and

the moving spirit behind Food For Life Sri Mayapur quickly responded the news.

“Congratulations! This is a historical achievement. I simply pray to the

Lord for more and more development of this project”

He then humbly added, “Credit goes to Sundara Govinda Dasa, who has taken up

this challenge to fulfill the desire of Srila Prabhupada. I am sure Srila

Prabhupada and our dear guru Jayapataka Swami will be very

pleased with this. Finally we have to admit that all these nice things are

happening due to the pure desire of Sankarsan Nitai Dasa who has taken up

this service to his heart. I am sure due to his dedication for this project,

by the mercy of Guru Maharaja and Srila Prabhupada, this Food for Life project

will take a very big shape in Mayapur up to the expectation of Srila

Prabhupada and even beyond that.”

Narayanan expressed his desire that the amount he donated be

distributed through the boat distribution wing of FFL Mayapur accompanied by

the chanting of the holy names.

In line with his desire, Shastra Dasa and his team now enthusiastically go

out on two days of the week, Wednesday and Friday, to nearby villages on boat

and distribute over 1000 plates of sumptuous Kichari (rice and lentils).

The inauguration of this program coincided with the

auspicious inauguration of the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium (TOVP).

Sundar Govind Dasa, the Administrator of FFL Sri Mayapur, and

Sankarshan Nitai Dasa, the FFL head, request devotees or donors world

wide to donate liberally so that this program can be extended from two days

a week to seven days a week.

To donate or for more information, contact Sundar Govinda Dasa at sundar.govind.jps@pamho.net

or +91 9475110217.