"It's a shame Anand Mahindra celebrates poverty porn instead of asking the government to give reasonable stipends to its researcher," a commenter wrote.

Tarul Rayan, a PhD food vendor from Chennai, is a doctorate candidate in biotechnology who went viral in September.

Viral video of a PhD student balancing his studies with a food stall in Chennai has caught the attention of Anand Mahindra.

American vlogger Christopher Lewis filmed his interaction with Rayan while sampling dishes such as Chicken 65 and chicken cutlets, which were served from the vendor’s humble cart. However, what left Lewis most impressed was Rayan’s dedication to both his academic work and his part-time food business.