Food factory for the foodies

By: Arslan Samdi

Rakesh Kumar preparing Naan

Rakesh Kumar wakes up at 4'o clock in the morning and cuts 10 to 20 kg vegetables, prepares 30 kg rice and deals with 50 kg of wheat flour which will later turn into hot chapattis. No, this is not a part of his diet, but this is what makes the routine diet for hundreds of students in the University, when they eat from the lone canteen in the campus of the Central University of Himachal Pradesh (CUHP).

As the only cook in the University Canteen, work is hectic for Rakesh Kumar. According to him, on an average day, he works for almost 13 hours. “My typical day starts at 4 or 5 in the morning with my tussle with the vegetables, and by the time I wind up the day to leave, it gets to 6.30 in the evening”, says he. Well, that makes it longer than the actual office hours of the University.

Is he ok with that? Well, like the subji he makes, his feelings are a mixed bag. He is happy because he gets his time to spend with the young students in the campus. “Students here in the campus treat me very well. That makes me feel very good working here”, says he. But he knows the good treatment is not without reasons. “I know they look back for small favours”, says a grinning Rakesh; “Hot chapattis, jumping the crowded lunch-line, tea on demand; yeah, small favours”.


But for students, these favours stay off-the-record. The official reason? Naan, for somebody. Their love knows no bounds when it comes to Naan. "He cooks really good Naan.I like his nature of dealing with students also. Moreover, he talks with me in Punjabi which makes me feel so comfortable since I am from Una. He used to work in Una long ago" says Narinder Sharma, a student of CUHP.

Apparently, the talk in the town is not always rosy about it. For instance, Shivam Mandyal, student of MSc Physics complains about a ‘canteen tactic’ he has often seen during the lunch hours. “At times when he takes out the Naan from bhatti (the special oven for Naan), it fells on the ground.  Though it is kept away at that time, it is served for students who comes later”, says he.

However, Rakesh has got more things to worry about than an occasional Naan which gives him a slip. “I get only Rs. 7000 per month. In today’s life, what can one achieve working 13 hours a day and getting just 7000 bucks", asks Rakesh. This 30 year old, lean man still stays unmarried - not by choice but because of his financial status. “I want to marry but I am afraid I won’t be able to full-fill my family needs because I earn so little, says a worried Rakesh.

But options are not plenty when it comes to finding better employment. “Since I do not have any other better work opportunities, I am just passing time and earning whatever possible meanwhile”, adds Rakesh, as he tosses another Naan into the hot Bhatti.