A small tea stall near the Rajgir Bus Stand in Nalanda, Bihar, has been providing free milk to babies for more than three decades. What began with a single glass of milk offered to a hungry infant in 1990 has continued as a family-run community service.
The initiative was started by tea seller Shravan Kumar, who reportedly noticed a crying baby near his stall and realised that the child was hungry. After giving the baby's mother a glass of milk, he decided that families struggling to provide milk to their young children should be able to approach his stall and receive it without paying.
The service has since become part of the identity of the tea stall. A sign outside the shop states that milk is available free of charge for babies from birth to 18 months. The initiative is funded from the family's own earnings rather than operating as a formal fundraising campaign.
Shravan Kumar died in 2000, but the initiative continued through his younger brother Ranjit Kumar, popularly known as Tunna Baba. Ranjit took over the stall and has continued the free-milk service in memory of his brother. Recent reports say the tradition has now continued for about 35 years.
According to reports, around 3–4 litres of milk are distributed every day to children in need. During the Malmas Mela, when Rajgir sees a larger number of visitors, the requirement can rise to around 10–15 litres a day. The family bears the cost through its own business earnings.
The service has also reached families visiting Rajgir from outside Nalanda. Reports have noted that people from other parts of India and even Nepal have benefited from the initiative, while the tea stall continues to serve as a point where parents can seek milk for young children.
Ranjit's approach to the initiative is rooted in the belief that helping people in need does not necessarily require a large organisation or formal campaign. His family has continued the practice as a responsibility connected to the original gesture made by Shravan more than three decades ago.
The Rajgir tea stall's story demonstrates how a simple act of providing a glass of milk can develop into a long-running community tradition. After 35 years, the initiative continues to provide an essential food item to infants, one family at a time.
Source: Dairynews7x7 21 Sep, 2026 Read full story here
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