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India discards nearly 78 million tonnes of food yearly — but mindful choices at home can turn the tide and nourish both people and the planet. Photograph: (North_Campus_Boys/Instagram)
Ashutosh bends over a corner of the street in Delhi’s Mukherjee Nagar, where a heap of half-eaten food lies strewn across discarded plastic plates, likely left behind after a bhandara — a community feast.
Without hesitation, he begins sorting through the pile, carefully collecting the rice that remains on the plates. He works methodically, separating what can be saved from what cannot, and piling the edible food onto a larger plate.
Later, he carries it to stray cows and dogs, offering them a meal that might otherwise have gone to waste.
This unusual act first caught the attention of Uplaksh, a mobile shop owner in the neighbourhood. While filming a video one day, he noticed Ashutosh collecting leftovers from the rubbish.
His first reaction, he admits, was disbelief. But he later discovered that the purpose behind the act was meaningful, not absurd. Ashutosh was collecting food to feed animals who had none.
Originally from Bulandshahr, Ashutosh is in Delhi preparing for the UPSC and is currently focussing on the Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission Mains examination.
Alongside his studies, he regularly gathers surplus food and redistributes it to stray dogs, cows and birds in his local park.
He does not document his work on social media and rarely uses it. For him, this is neither content nor campaign; it is simply something that needs to be done.
Food waste in India and beyond
Food waste remains a serious issue in India and across the world. The UNEP Food Waste Index Report 2024 estimates that over one billion tonnes of food were thrown away globally in 2022, which is almost one in every five plates of food meant for people.
In India alone, about 78 million tonnes are wasted each year, roughly 55 kg per person, adding to landfill waste and methane emissions.
In cities, especially, it is common to see food from weddings, parties and eateries being thrown away at the end of the day.
While large-scale solutions require better supply chains, storage and redistribution systems, individual choices also matter. Ashutosh’s effort sits in that space — small, local and consistent.
He believes food deserves respect, and so do animals who cannot ask for it.
In a country grappling with food waste, such acts may not solve the problem overnight. But they remind us that responsibility can begin with one person, one bag of leftovers, and the decision to treat food — and life — with care.