SRM Institute of Hotel Management Introduces Plant-Based Menu Across Kattankulathur Hostels, Sets World Record with 2025 Plant-Based Kathi Rolls

 

Chennai, May 29] – SRM Institute of Hotel Management (SRM IHM) set a Nova World Record through its “Fueling 2025 with 2025 Plant-Power Kathi Rolls” event, marking a major milestone in the institute’s commitment to sustainability and plant-based culinary innovation. This landmark event, held on campus, brought together students and faculty in a high-energy celebration to launch the introduction of a plant-based menu in SRM’s hostels.

A total of 160 students from SRM IHM, Ekkatuthangal Campus, successfully prepared 2,025 plant-powered multigrain kathi rolls in record time—a world first. Building on this momentum, SRM is now expanding its partnership with the Green Tuesday Initiative by introducing weekly plant-based meals in the Kattankulathur campus hostels. This shift aims to reduce the campus’s environmental footprint while promoting healthier and more sustainable food choices for students.

SRM IHM first partnered with the Green Tuesday Initiative in April 2024 to reduce the use of high-carbon-footprint foods on campus. Since then, the institute has already made measurable progress. With the expansion of the plant-based menu to the Kattankulathur campus hostels, SRM is projected to reduce 12,63,740 kilograms of greenhouse gas emissions, conserve 16.5 crore litres of water, and spare more than 19,000 animal lives annually. This is equivalent to driving around the Earth 259 times and the water consumption of the entire population of Salem, Tamil Nadu, for a day.

The event was inaugurated by Dr. D. Antony Ashok Kumar, Director of SRM IHM, and Mr. R. A. Nadesan, Director of SRM Group. Key contributors included Assistant Professors of Food Production Mr. Gopinath and Mr. Nithyanandan; Dr. Geetha Priya, Head of Department at the Vadapalani Campus; Ms. Bhuvaneswari; and Ms. J. Lalitha Shri, Vice Principal of SRM IHM, Kattankulathur Campus.

“Building on our commitment to vegan culinary education, we’re proud to take the next step with the Green Tuesday Initiative by serving plant-based meals every Tuesday in our hostels,” said Dr. Antony Ashok Kumar, Director of SRM IHM. “This extension brings our values from the classroom to the dining hall—allowing students to experience firsthand how plant-based eating supports both personal health and planetary well-being.”

SRM Institute of Hotel Management has also integrated plant-based culinary education into its curriculum. Over the past year, more than 900 hospitality students have been trained in sustainable cooking techniques, learning to work with plant-based proteins, legumes, grains, and dairy alternatives.

Bhavya Vatrapu, Senior Campaign Manager, Asia-Pacific at Vegan Outreach, added, “SRM Institute of Hotel Management has shown that hospitality education can be both industry-relevant and sustainability-focused. By extending the Green Tuesday Initiative to their hostels, they’re ensuring that students don’t just learn about sustainable food systems, they live them. This move strengthens their leadership in the shift toward climate-friendly campuses.”

More than 11,500 students at SRM University now have access to healthier and more sustainable plant-based meals in their hostel cafeterias. The Green Tuesday Initiative helps institutions reduce their environmental impact through simple dietary shifts, without any additional spending or operational burden.

Leading universities such as Lovely Professional University, Pondicherry University, ICE Institute of Hotel Management, and DY Patil University have also joined the initiative as part of the University Grants Commission’s ‘Green Campus’ movement.

To learn more or request a free consultation, visit www.greentuesday.org. 

About the Green Tuesday Initiative:
The Green Tuesday Initiative is a sustainability campaign that supports institutions and corporations to introduce plant-based food options to reduce their carbon and water footprints.  The initiative has 64 partner organizations and institutions across India and Vietnam.

Media Contact:
Meenal Rajapet
Communications Manager
Vegan Outreach
Phone: +91 90528 63424
Email: meenalr@veganoutreach.org

Program Contact: 
Sowndarya Ganesan
Campaign Specialist (India &Vietnam)
Green Tuesday Initiative
Phone: +91 87781 49734
Email: Sowndarya@GreenTuesday.Org