| Abstract: | India has long reflected a culture grounded in empathy and social responsibility, where hunger has been addressed through both age-old customs and present-day grassroots initiatives. The idea that “no one should go to bed hungry” is not merely a sentiment but a foundational principle that guides the nation’s conscience. Over time, the Right to Food has transformed from a moral obligation into a legal entitlement, signifying a significant shift in socio-economic rights. This change has been largely influenced by Public Interest Litigations (PILs), which have led the judiciary to reinterpret Article 21 of the Indian Constitution. The courts have progressively expanded the meaning of the “right to life” to include not just survival, but a life with dignity, thereby recognizing food as a fundamental component of this right. Instead, it now includes the entitlement to essential conditions for a dignified life such as access to adequate nutrition. This judicial development has significantly influenced both legal interpretations and public policy, affirming that a life of dignity necessarily requires fulfilment of basic human needs, including proper nourishment. By transforming starving India from a systematic failure to providing Indians democratized access to food, the country has honoured and operationalized its cultural ethos of feeding the hungry in both symbolic and practical ways. This paper explores the critical role played by PIL in defining and institutionalizing the Right to Food security in India. It further reflects on the legislative challenges encountered in implementation of policy legislations and a need of vigilant, collective yet reflective efforts from the stakeholders towards upholding Right to Food as a living right. |
