Manipur has been in a constant state of chaos since May 2023 because of the clashes between the ethnic groups Meitei, Naga and Kuki. We all know about the horrific incident where two women were paraded naked by a mob of men and later raped, raising nationwide concerns about women’s safety in the state.
A woman named Susmitha, who works at a restaurant named RCP Kochi, was very disturbed and concerned for her family when these clashes were taking place in Manipur. Her mother and sister were stuck in the state. Neither could Susmitha go to them nor could they come to her. Susmitha was also the sole earning member of her family.
The general manager of the restaurant noticed that she was perpetually disturbed, which was unnatural for her because she was good at her job and had won the title of ‘Best Employee’ three times. She was asked about what was bothering her, she said, “My mother and sister are stuck in Manipur. I don’t know what to do!”
When the issue reached the ears of the owner of the restaurant, celebrity chef Suresh Pillai, he didn’t sit back. He arranged for her mother and sister to be brought to Kerala and provide them with accommodation. Soon, Mrs. Ibemcha Devi and Ms. Sarfi Devi were brought to Kochi to Susmitha. However, they couldn’t sit idle for long.
Chef Pillai called them for an interview. Even though they didn’t know how to speak Hindi or English, the chef hired them anyway and decided to train them. Sarfi joined as a trainee chef and Ibemcha as a helping staff. Within a couple of weeks, they learnt everything there was to learn about their jobs. The family now lives and works together.
Chef Pillai wrote about them in a post on Instagram. You can read the entire post here:
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Massive respect for Chef Pillai for reuniting a family and giving them a means of sustenance!