Thousand Lights MLA and Speaker of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly J.C.D. Prabhakar serving food to beneficiaries of an annadanam programme which crossed a milestone on July 22, 2026.

On July 22, when the daily annadanam, a free mid-day meal initiative by Teynampet resident D.M. Prakash crossed a milestone clocking 750 days on the trot, the food was understandably grander than on earlier days. Not only what was offered but how it was offered stood out. Imagine being served food by MLA of the region: that is exactly what happened at the event.

On regular days, food packets would be parked on a small table, and Prakash and his associates would hand them over to the beneficiaries who would queue up. On the 750th day, many tables were placed in a straight line, and the beneficiaries were parked in front of them. Banana leaves were spread out before them. Volunteers were waiting on them hand and foot, running to fetch them the extra helping they sought. The venue, which on regular days would be the sidewalk on the road outside Prakash’s house in Vellala Teynampet, had shifted to the Semmozhi Poonga, the parking area being marked for the event.

On the menu were chicken briyani with onion raitha, chicken 65, brinjal curry and bread halwa. (On regular days, a ‘revolving menu’, one following a weekly cycle would include vegetable briyani, coconut rice, lemon rice, pudhina rice, channa rice and Tomato rice.)

Prakash points out close to 1000 people partook of the celebratory repast. And 150 of those beneficiaries who settled down first for lunch had the food served by Thousand Lights MLA and Speaker of Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly J.C.D. Prabhakar.

Published - July 22, 2026 09:19 pm IST