V Nagalakshmi: Food Safety Champion Bags SIWAA Changemaker Award
- Deepak Jain
- Feb 11
- 3 min read
Chennai's food safety frontier has a new hero. V Nagalakshmi, now Director of PUR food LLP, earned the Changemaker Award at the South India Women Achievers Awards (SIWAA). With over 10 years pushing food safety, wellness, and innovation, she's trained thousands as a FoSTaC trainer and Regional Marketing Head at Parikshan FSS Pvt. Ltd. Her work spans nutrition consulting, culinary expertise, R&D, and public health drives, equipping communities to eat smarter and safer.
From testing labs to training halls, Nagalakshmi's hands-on drive turns knowledge into action. Her SIWAA win marks her as a Tamil Nadu powerhouse in public health.
Foundations of Impact: Nagalakshmi's Food Safety Climb
Nagalakshmi's spark lit up in Chennai's markets and kitchens, spotting risks in everyday eats—from adulterated spices to mishandled meats. She channeled that into expertise, becoming a certified FoSTaC trainer under FSSAI schemes. At Parikshan FSS Pvt. Ltd., as Regional Marketing Head, she rolled out safety audits, lab testing, and compliance workshops across South India.
Her shift to PUR food LLP as Director amps up innovation: clean-label products, wellness-focused R&D, nutrition-tailored foods. "Safe food fuels strong lives," she stresses. Programs blend science with street smarts—teaching vendors hygiene basics, families label-reading tricks.
SIWAA's Changemaker honor fits perfectly. South India Women Achievers Awards spotlighted her for scaling safety education amid rising food scares.
Training Thousands: Hands-On Wellness Wins
Nagalakshmi's sweet spot? Training. As FoSTaC lead, she's empowered 5,000+ food handlers—street vendors, hotel staff, small factories—with hygiene protocols, storage hacks, pest control. Sessions pack punch: live demos of bacterial growth on unclean surfaces, quick tests for adulterants like argemone in mustard oil.
Nutrition consulting adds depth. She advises on balanced plates for diabetics, kids, seniors—pushing millets over maida, fermented foods for gut health. Culinary pro skills shine in R&D: crafting low-sugar murukkus, protein-enriched idlis at PUR food.
Real change shows. A Chennai hotel chain cut contamination incidents 70% post-training. Families report fewer tummy troubles after her public health talks at community centers.
Her blend of educator, consultant, innovator caught SIWAA judges' attention.
PUR food LLP: Innovation Meets Public Health
Launching PUR food LLP, Nagalakshmi tackled gaps head-on. The firm develops safe, nutritious ready-to-eats rooted in Tamil Nadu tastes—think millet bites with no preservatives, veggie-packed snacks for school kids. R&D labs test for contaminants, fortify with hidden nutrients.
Public health campaigns extend reach. She runs free workshops in Chennai slums on water purification, safe cooking amid monsoons. Nutrition advice goes practical: swap deep-fry for air-fry, read "best before" vs. expiry.
Challenges? Plenty. Small vendors resist change; she wins them with simple wins like color-coded chopping boards. Over 10 years, her persistence built trust—Parikshan clients grew 300%, PUR's early products fly off shelves.
SIWAA celebrates this grit amid South India Women Achievers Awards' health honorees.
Expertise in Action: From Labs to Lives
What sets Nagalakshmi apart? Depth across fields. Food safety audits uncover hidden hazards—E.coli in juices, aflatoxins in nuts. Wellness consulting personalizes: PCOS plans with anti-inflammatory spices, athlete fuels from ragi porridge.
Culinary chops elevate R&D: recipes that taste homey yet pack micronutrients. As trainer, she adapts for crowds—visual aids for low-literacy groups, apps for urban pros.
Chennai's humid climate amps her focus: safe storage in power cuts, monsoon mold prevention. Public health education hits schools, teaching kids hygiene songs alongside handwashing drills.
Data from her programs? Impressive—trained groups show 40% better compliance scores.
Overcoming Hurdles: A Changemaker's Grit
Nagalakshmi faced pushback early. "Food safety sounds boring," skeptics said. She flipped it with stories: a vendor's family saved from food poisoning, a factory dodging FSSAI fines. Women in male-dominated labs? She mentored juniors, now leading teams.
PUR food's birth tested resolve—funding hunts, recipe tweaks. Success came via partnerships: FSSAI endorsements, corporate wellness tie-ups.
Her SIWAA nod arrives as rocket fuel. "This award honors the thousands I've reached," she shared with Twell Magazine. "Safe food, smart wellness—that's my fight."
Vision Forward: Scaling Safety Across Tamil Nadu
Post-SIWAA, Nagalakshmi accelerates. PUR food eyes exports with FSSAI-gold standards, nutrition apps for personalized plans. Training expansions hit rural Tamil Nadu via mobile vans. Public health books on "Kitchen Safety" brew.
For aspiring changemakers: "Dive deep, teach wide. Impact multiplies." As Twell Magazine toasts her win, V Nagalakshmi proves Chennai's food future looks secure—one trained hand, one safe meal at a time.
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