Snacking on a sandwich, dosa or frankie in college, and indulging in small talk with the “canteen bhaiyya” is something we will always remember about college life. However, with schools and colleges remaining shut for over a year due to the pandemic-induced lockdown, the canteen staff working in these educational institutes has been conveniently ignored. Many of them have been jobless for over a year, and are struggling to make ends meet. Some have resigned to their fate, and returned to their hometowns.

Canteen staff member Tapan Kumar Das is among those employed at the cafe. Pic/Shadab Khan