Jagriti Yatra reached Madhurai for a day long session at Aravind Eye Hospital with its administrator Dr. S. Aravind. For the uninitiated,  Aravind Eye Care is currently the biggest of its kind, the most productive system of eye care in the world. There is obviously much to be learned from someone who has built an empire around Eye care, even more so from people who manage it and the guys who keep it running to this day. 

The day was centered around meeting the management as well as a Q/A session before returning to the train and continuing the journey onwards, towards Vizag. Right before the day concluded, however, there was a panel discussion on starting an enterprise, speaking on successful journeys and lessons hard learned. 

However, the highlight of the day was getting information on the food management for the entire duration of the Yatra. Amit Khaluke, the head of food management and awareness  spoke to our representatives on the train, introducing us to Ramesh Parmaram, the owner of a catering service based out of Rajasthan who has been working with the Yatra for the last 10 or so years. 

Leading a team of 95 workers, the good folk at food management work tirelessly to ensure food - tasty, sumptuous and delicious food - is served to the yatris throughout the 15 days of travel across India. It's a massive feat that requires precision and co-ordination as well as dedicated manpower, but that hasn't stopped these pioneers from making it work. 

It does seem that in a train journey across India for the spirit of working together and building a better future, the best lessons can be learned from the people that are already on the train, making sure piping hot food is being served on the plates of hungry yatris with twinkles in their eyes, twinkles that would soon become ideas that would set fire to the rain and change the face of the country. 

Travel on, you crazy geniuses. Stay turned for more!