Latest news with #Shanku
Time of India
04-06-2025
- Health
- Time of India
How a four-year-old's wish changed the anganwadi food menu from upma to biryani in Kerala
Kerala's women and child welfare department has revised the anganwadi food menu to include egg biryani and pulao, following a viral video of a 4-year-old boy's request to replace upma with biryani and chicken fry. The revised menu was unveiled on Tuesday by Women and Child Development Minister Veena George at the state-level inauguration of anganwadis' Praveshanolsavam in Pathanamthitta. The new menu aims to reduce sugar and salt intake while increasing calories and protein to support child growth, aligned with nutritional standards. Egg and milk will be provided on three days a week, compared to two days earlier. The menu will cover breakfast, lunch, and general feeding, marking the first time a unified food menu is implemented for anganwadi children across the state. The boy, Trijal S Sundhar, popularly known as Shanku, is currently in Qatar with his family. His mother, Aswathy Ashok, shared that Shanku is excited about the change. 'We will be returning to our native place by mid-July, and he will join school then,' she said. The family hails from Prayar near Oachira in Alappuzha district. Aswathy explained that the video was not planned. 'Shanku's father returned to Qatar after his choroonu (first rice meal fed auspiciously). I used to take Shanku's photographs and videos and post them on Instagram for his father to see. The biryani video too was shot just like that,' she said. She added, 'Shanku doesn't like upma and his favourite food is porridge and black-eyed pea. Upma was being served in the anganwadis daily and he developed a hatred towards it. He made the request for biryani and chicken fry while having biryani at home.' Live Events Minister Veena George had shared the video on Facebook earlier and promised to consider the demand, which has now been fulfilled through the revised menu.
India Today
04-06-2025
- Health
- India Today
Kerala adds egg biryani to anganwadi menu after toddler's viral video plea
Kerala Women and Child Development Minister Veena George has announced that egg biryani has been added to the food menu at anganwadis (rural childcare centres), following a viral video of a toddler expressing his dislike for upma (a traditional South Indian breakfast dish made primarily from dry-roasted semolina) and wished for biryani and fried chicken at his Veena George, 'There was a video of this toddler named Shanku that went viral. He told his mother that he does not want upma but biriyani and chicken fry. After the video went viral, in his and many other anganwadis, biriyani was served.' advertisement'We thought, how can this be implemented? We are giving eggs at anganwadis, and we changed it from two days a week to three days a week. We have decided to include egg biriyani now,' she added, speaking at the state-level reopening ceremony of anganwadis. The updated menu now includes nutri laddoo (a nutrient-rich ladoo made from a mix of protein and fibre-rich ingredients), dal payasam (a traditional South Indian dessert made from lentils, jaggery, coconut milk, and flavoured with cardamom), ragi ada (a traditional South Indian snack), soya dry fry, and wheat pulav, along with egg George also stated, 'This is the first time a unified model food menu has been prepared.'In the video that gained popularity in February this year, the child, Rijul S Sundar, who is lovingly called Shanku, told his mother that they should give 'birnani' (biryani) and 'poricha koi' (fried chicken) in his anganwadi instead of upma. His mother shared the moment on Instagram, which quickly drew the attention of Minister Veena George, who then promised a revised by Rahen Philip IN THIS STORY#Kerala
Time of India
04-06-2025
- Health
- Time of India
‘I don't want upma': 4-year-old Shanku's viral demand video gets biryani added to anganwadi menu in Kerala
A young boy named Shanku's dislike for upma and his request for biryani in the anganwadi menu went viral after his mother posted it on Instagram. KOTTAYAM: When young Shanku innocuously expressed his dislike for upma last Feb and asked for it to be replaced with biryani and chicken fry in the anganwadi menu, his mother Aswathy Ashok recorded it and posted it on Instagram. She did not expect the video to go viral. Women and child development minister Veena George shared the video on Facebook and promised to consider his demand. George kept her word and included egg biryani in the revised menu, which she released on Tuesday. George released the revised 'model food menu' at the state-level inauguration of anganwadis' Praveshanolsavam in Pathanamthitta on Tuesday. The menu - revised by the women and child welfare department with the intention of reducing sugar and salt intake and including more calories and protein to aid growth as per nutritional standards -- also includes pulao. Egg and milk will be provided on three days, unlike the earlier two days. Breakfast, lunch and general feeding will be based on the revised menu. It is the first time a unified food menu is being implemented for anganwadi students. Shanku, 4, is in Qatar and, according to Aswathy, is relishing the news of the revised menu. Shanku, whose official name is Trijal S Sundhar, is the only child of Somasundhar and Aswathy. The mother and son joined Somasundhar, who is working at Al Khor in Qatar, during the summer vacation. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Beyond Text Generation: An AI Tool That Helps You Write Better Grammarly Install Now Undo "We will be returning to our native place by mid-July, and he will join school then," said Aswathy. Their native place is Prayar near Oachira in Alappuzha. Aswathy said the viral video was not shot deliberately. "Shanku's father returned to Qatar after his choroonu (first rice meal fed auspiciously). I used to take Shanku's photographs and videos and post them on Instagram for his father to see. The biryani video too was shot just like that," said Aswathy. "Shanku doesn't like upma and his favourite food is porridge and black-eyed pea. Upma was being served in the anganwadis daily and he developed a hatred towards it. He made the request for biryani and chicken fry while having biryani at home," she said.
New Indian Express
04-06-2025
- General
- New Indian Express
Shanku's biryani wish sparks nutrition policy overhaul in Kerala's Anganwadis
PATHANAMTHITTA: When little Shanku's innocent demand for 'birnani' (biryani) over upma in anganwadis went viral, few could have predicted it would spark a major shift in public nutrition policy. Thanks to Health Minister Veena George and the Women and Child Development Department, that the wish has now reshaped mealtime for thousands of children across Kerala. In a move blending policy with empathy, the state has unveiled a revamped model food menu for anganwadis, adding popular dishes like egg biryani and pulao without compromising on nutrition. The new menu is crafted to be both tasty and health-conscious, with reduced sugar and salt and an emphasis on energy-boosting, protein-rich items essential for growing children. Veena George officially launched the new menu during the state-level inauguration of the Anganwadi Pravesanotsavam in Pathanamthitta. The initiative marks the first unified food plan to be implemented in anganwadis across the state. Following the viral video, the minister had promised to review the food menu, leading to consultations at various levels. The nutritious meal plan also features enhanced servings of milk and eggs, now offered three days a week instead of two.
Time of India
03-06-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Young boy Shanku's ‘viral' request leads to revised anganwadi food menu in Kerala
Kottayam: When young Shanku innocuously expressed his dislike for upma last Feb and asked for it to be replaced with biriyani and chicken fry in the anganwadi menu, his mother Aswathy Ashok recorded it and posted it on Instagram. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now She did not expect the video to go viral. Women and child development minister Veena George shared the video on Facebook and promised to consider his demand. George kept her word and included egg biriyani in the revised menu, which she released on Tuesday. George released the revised 'model food menu' at the state-level inauguration of anganwadis' Praveshanolsavam in Pathanamthitta on Tuesday. The menu — revised by the women and child welfare department with the intention of reducing sugar and salt intake and including more calories and protein to aid growth as per nutritional standards -- also includes pulao. Egg and milk will be provided on three days, unlike the earlier two days. Breakfast, lunch and general feeding will be based on the revised menu. It is the first time a unified food menu is being implemented for anganwadi students. Shanku, 4, is in Qatar and, according to Aswathy, is relishing the news of the revised menu. Shanku, whose official name is Trijal S Sundhar, is the only child of Somasundhar and Aswathy. The mother and son joined Somasundhar, who is working at Al Khor in Qatar, during the summer vacation. "We will be returning to our native place by mid-July, and he will join the anganwadi then," said Aswathy. Their native place is Prayar near Oachira in Alappuzha. Aswathy said the viral video was not shot deliberately. "Shanku's father returned to Qatar after his choroonu (first rice meal fed auspiciously). I used to take Shanku's photographs and videos and post them on Instagram for his father to see. The biriyani video too was shot just like that," said Aswathy. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now "Shanku doesn't like upma and his favourite food is porridge and black-eyed pea. Upma was being served in the anganwadis daily and he developed a hatred towards it. He made the request for biriyani and chicken fry while having biriyani at home," she said.
