Coxing 'em to eat jail Bhajiyas!

Travel company Cox & Kings will promote Sabarmati jail bhajiyas

By Dhwani Pathak & Hemington James
Posted On Thursday, July 16, 2009 (Ahmedabad Mirror)

The firm organised a corporate food fest at the bhajiya van on Wednesday. It also invited officials of several other companies, including a few airlinesIt’s not just foodies who are thronging to the snacks van run by inmates of the Sabarmati Central Jail. Corporates, too, are lining up. After State Bank of India (SBI), another company has offered to help prison officials to popularise traditional delicacies, especially bhajiyas, prepared by prisoners.

Cox & Kings India Ltd, a global travel company, on Wednesday said that it would help prison officials build — and promote — brand ‘Jail Bhajiya’. “As part of our corporate social responsibility (CSR), we want to support snacks van initiative of the Sabarmati jail,” the vice-president of Cox & Kings, Sanjeev Chhajer, said. “We want to create the brand ‘Jail Bhajiya’. sabarmati Inmates to be taught new recipesChhajer said that the company also wanted to help prisoners who prepare snacks learn different varieties of bhajiyas. “We will invite snacks-makers from different places, and ask them to teach inmates how to make bhajiyas prepared in Dakor and Gondal,” he said.
Cox & Kings organised a ‘corporate food fest’ at the jail snacks van on Wednesday. Employees of several companies savoured delicacies prepared by inmatesTo show it was really keen to support Sabarmati jail’s snacks initiative, Cox & Kings on Wednesday requested IG (prisons) Keshav Kumar to send the van to its office in Ambawadi.Chhajer said when the snacks van arrived, he invited officials of Jet Airways, Oberoi Hotel, Thai Airways, Etihad Airways, Malaysia Airways, Airline, Binani Cement and Torrent to savour delicacies prepared by jail inmates.After the ‘corporate food fest’, officials of the aforesaid companies discussed ways to popularise jail bhajiyas. The secretary of Sports Club, Kamal Sheth, who was also one of Cox & Kings’ invitees, said that he wanted to organise a similar food fest at the club.Chhajer, in the meantime, said that his company wanted to support Sabarmati jail’s snacks van initiative since a long time.

IG (prisons) Kumar said that he was pleased with corporates’ response. “It’s great that companies are backing our initiative. Corporatisation is the next step for jail sacks business,” Kumar said.
Employees of Cox & Kings and other companies, including Jet Airways and Oberoi Hotel, make a grab for jail snacksThe IG said that many companies had expressed interest to support the jail snacks business. “Any company that wants to help us is welcome,” he said. Kumar also said that plans to sell bhajiyas prepared by inmates in Vadodara and Surat was being considered.“We are also considering to sell vegetable puffs at our van. However, to do this, we will need microwave ovens,” he said. Upper Crust, a popular restaurant, had recently taught inmates how to make puffs.
As part of our corporate social responsibility, we want to support the snacks van initiative of Sabarmati jail– Sanjeev Chhajer, VP, Cox & Kings


It’s great that firms are backing our initiative. Corporatisation is the next step for the jail snacks business – Keshav Kumar, IG (prisons)