An unique and inspiring book, Cooking Hope: Easy Indian Recipes for Kids on their Cancer Journey, by young author Harshita Jinaga, was launched on December 21, 2024 at The Press Club, Mumbai, at the hands of Chief Guest Dr Ranjeet Bajpai, Radiation Oncology Sr Consultant, HN Reliance Hospital. Guest of Honour for the evening was Nikita Mahakal, Head of Nutrition and Training, Cuddles Foundation.
“The book contains recipes of healthy, yummy and easy-to-cook dishes to provide children with nutritious yet enjoyable meals. There are a variety of recipes adopted from India’s vast national palette captured in this book. Whether it be breakfast, lunch, dinner or mid-day snacks, I wrote this book to provide a delicious and balanced meal to help children build their strength and immunity. I have a deep-rooted passion for health and nutrition," shares Harshita. She wrote this book in collaboration with the Cuddles Foundation. The book is dedicated to thousands of children supported by Cuddles Foundations. That’s not all – the book has been translated in Hindi and Marathi too, in order to reach a larger audience!
Harshita Jinaga graduated from the American School of Bombay last year and is currently a freshman at the University of California San Diego. She is majoring in Molecular and Cellular Biology. She aspires to be an oncologist, specifically a surgical oncologist. This interest has been shaped over the years from working in research labs and interning in hospitals across Mumbai. She has always been interested in nutrition and how it can affect lives especially those of cancer patients. This interest stemmed from a passion for organic gardening and developed into learning the significance of nutrition and healthy eating in all our lives. “This book was a way for me to intersect my passion for oncology and my interest in nutrition”, she says.
‘Cooking Hope’ is a 65-page book published by APK Publishers. It is priced at Rs.500 and is currently available on Amazon and in bookstores. Proceeds of the sale will be donated to the Cuddles Foundation.
