KOPPAL: At a time when the food industry has become a profiteering venture, a canteen outside the Government Junior Composite College in Kanakagiri of Koppal district has been feeding students with “motherly love” for the past three decades.

A native of Maharashtra, Malamma, who is in her late fifties, has been eking out a living by running the canteen and offers dishes at affordable prices. 

Even now, a plate of idli with sambar and chutney cost Rs 5. Similarly, a plate of upma costs Rs 3 and pulav Rs 10.

She does not compromise on the quality and hence she has been successful in running the canteen for the last 30 years, said a regular customer. 

In fact, students, especially of high school division, used to throng Malamma’s canteen after physical education exercises each Saturday. 

Old students remember her not just for the tasty food that she offered, but also her generosity as she used to offer them food on credit — they could eat and pay Malamma later.

Malamma, however, says her generous acts of the past have yielded positive results. 

“In fact, a few students remembered me even after getting government jobs,” Malamma said, adding,

“They invited me to their homes and presented me with sarees as a mark of gratitude.”

The canteen has helped her to educate and marry off her two sons and two daughters and also build a small house.