Meet Chef Kedarnath Patro, who is currently working as a chef at a hotel in Croatia. Born in Hatapada village in Odisha, he faced a challenging childhood, having lost his father at a very young age. With an estranged elder brother, a married sister, and an ailing mother, life became a struggle. Kedar worked in local shops, a cashew factory, and later as a labourer in the city to fund his college education, earning a daily wage of Rs. 140.

When a friend told him about a hotel management course, he immediately became interested, but financial constraints posed a challenge. Hope was ignited when Pratham’s Skilling team visited his village to mobilize students. Kedar joined the Pratham training centre to learn about food production. After completing his training, he honed his skills at hotels and interacted with acclaimed chefs online. He also had the opportunity to work with a renowned chef in Delhi before seizing the opportunity in Croatia.

Now in Croatia, Kedar dreams of returning to his homeland to start his own multi-cuisine restaurant. His journey, from humble beginnings to an ambitious chef, exemplifies how an opportunity helped Kedar exercise his choices and independence.