Celebrate for a Cause

Mothers symbolise love, care, sacrifice and commitment. Their selfless love in nurturing us is beyond any comparison. To honour the woman who has silently sacrificed many things in her life just for us, Mother’s Day is celebrated each year on the second Sunday of May.

For the Mother who raised you to be kind & caring,
this 12th May, say “thank you” with an unforgettable gift.
Celebrate with Akshaya Patra.

Akshaya Patra, which has been personifying the role of a mother for the past 18 years has never failed to provide freshly cooked, nutritious school lunch to children on each school day. Presently, it feeds more than 1.76 million children in 15,024 Government schools across 42 locations of 12 states in India. This lunch is crucial for the education of these schoolchildren who hail from challenging backgrounds. The school meal not only feeds their stomach but also their hopes and dreams.

Just like a mother, Akshaya Patra takes care of hygiene and nutrition
at every step of preparing school meals for its young beneficiaries.

Every mother loves to see her children growing up with her values. So, when she has taught you the importance of kindness and shared lessons in empathy, it’s time to show her that she has succeeded in it. This Mother’s Day, celebrate with Akshaya Patra and live up to your mom’s invaluable teachings. Support 1.76 million beneficiaries of Akshaya Patra with their much-needed school meals. Share your feelings about this giving with your mother and make her feel proud about you!

Remember when you donate in the honour of your mother, you support another mother to send her child/children to school and have the healthy school meals which might also be their only meal for the day!

This Mother’s Day, spread the spirit of kindness and giving.

Akshaya Tritiya, signifying ’the day of gold‘, falls on between mid-April and mid-May on the third day of the lunar month’s bright half. It is the birthday of the goddess of food – Annapurna Devi. The festival holds great importance for the Hindu and Jain communities.

The question is “Akshaya Tritiya is only about buying gold?”

The word Akshaya stands for ‘unlimited’, while Tritiya means ‘third day’. There are a lot of legends that are associated with this occasion. One famous reference is found in The Mahabharata, when the Pandavas had to go into exile for 13 years in the forest. During this exile, quite a lot of Brahmanas followed them. But Yudishthir requested the Brahmanas to turn back, since he couldn’t provide them with food or protection in the forest. However, the Brahmanas refused to return and decided to fend for themselves. Grieved over his inability to provide them with food, Yudhisthir then cried out and meditated on Surya, singing hymns in his praise. Surya then appeared before Yudisthira and gave him Akshaya Patra – the vessel of unlimited food. The entire troupe then set out to Kamyaka forest, since they now had an unlimited supply of food.

Much like the Akshaya Patra in the Mahabharata, The Akshaya Patra Foundation too aims to be an unlimited source of food for the unfed children of India. Through our school lunch programme, run alongside the Government of India, we feed the children in Government and Government-aided schools across India.

Thus for us, Akshaya Tritiya is the most auspicious occasion to encourage more donors to donate for the cause of Food for Education and join hands in feeding the children of India. Donating on Akshaya Tritiya gives you an added blessing as your charity is going for a noble purpose that completely lives up to the spirit of this occasion. As a gesture of homage on the birthday of Annapurna Devi, you can choose to provide ‘anna’ to the children by feeding them with nutritious meals through Akshaya Patra’s school meal programme.

We wouldn’t be the ‘unlimited vessel’ for the purpose of feeding the children had it not been for generous donors around the world. You may choose to make use of the auspicious occasion of Akshaya Tritiya in order to reach out to the future of our nation – our children.

This Akshaya Tritiya, support us to begin the journey of prosperity among 1.76 million children with regular school meals & rightful education.

New beginnings, new promises, and joy and celebrations fill the air across India as the month of April sets in. This spring month rings in New Year for many Indian states. Yes, India celebrates New Year in various regions at various times – typifying the diversity of culture and traditions in the country.

Just like each region has its unique culture and tradition, it also has its specific day to celebrate New Year based on the solar and lunar calendar.

Between 13th and 15th of April, New Year is celebrated as Rongali Bihu in Assam, Bishuva Sankranti in Odisha and Puthandu in Tamil Nadu.

Here is a quick look at the vibrant celebrations across the states:

Rongali Bihu in Assam

Rongali Bihu marks the New Year and the beginning of the agriculture season in Assam. This spring festival is celebrated with much enthusiasm, faith, and joy. Amidst traditional rituals, music, dance, and regional delicacies, this festive season spreads the message of happiness, good regards, and comradeship in the society.

Amidst pulsating revelry, we must also remember our fellowmates, especially children, who would love to be a part of the celebrations but are devoid of basic needs like food. Here, the service of The Akshaya Patra Foundation that has been operating in Assam since 2010 becomes evident. Akshaya Patra, a mid-day meal NGO in Assam is striving towards transforming lives of children by providing freshly cooked, nutritious lunch to children on each school day.

Presently, it is impacting 47,249 children in 607 government schools in the state. This Rongali Bihu, you can make a lasting difference in the lives of these young children by supporting our cause and filling the year for these children with the goodness of healthy meals and richness of rightful education.

Maha Bishuva Sankranti in Odisha

Maha Bishuva Sankranti or Pana Sankranti is the traditional New Year in Odisha. People offer prayers at temples, perform rituals, visit fairs, spectate various activities such as dances, acrobatics, ancient forms of performances such as fire walks, and relish delicious feasts. This auspicious occasion is considered to bring prosperity in the fresh year.

While paying respect to age-old customs, let’s also take note of our future progress that rests in the hands of the children. Let us make a conscious effort to provide for children who have the zeal to learn but lack in resources. Akshaya Patra, a mid-day meal NGO operating in Odisha since 2006 is striving towards improving lives of children by providing freshly cooked, wholesome meals to children on each school day.

Presently, it is impacting the lives of 1,80,140 children in 1,840 government schools in the state. This Maha Bishuva Sankranti, choose to positively alter the future of young children by supporting our cause and aiding children for a prosperous future.

You can support our cause at: Feed the hungry children

Puthandu in Tamil Nadu

Puthandu is the traditional New Year day celebrated in Tamil Nadu. The day is characteristic of rituals such as wake up to the sight of a traditional tray arranged with flowers, jewellery, money, betel leaves, areca nuts, three fruits – bananas, mangoes, and jackfruit, and a mirror, and making kolam – traditional design made on floor with coloured rice powder; and making The festival symbolises hope for new opportunities, growth, and prosperity.

Most us may follow the tradition to wake up to a sight that is considered to bring good fortune. But, there are many who wake up every day with the looming doubt of whether or not they will receive the day’s meal; and these unfortunate mornings are a part of young children’s lives too!

This Puthandu, give new hopes and signs of prosperity to young children by supporting Akshaya Patra’s cause of providing food for education. Akshaya Patra, a mid-day meal NGO provides freshly cooked, healthy meals to 731 school children in the state on each school day.

Other States Celebrates New Year as

• Baisakhi in Punjab
• Poila Boishakh in West Bengal
• Vishu in Kerala

We may belong to different states, yet we are united with the common thread of being Indians. These traditional festivals bring families, friends, and the entire community together. Along with the pomp and show, these festivals spread the message of unity, brotherhood, and cultural solidarity. They teach us to spread hope, joy, and good regards, while also encouraging the practice of offering charity so that the entire society can progress and prosper together. So, in the spirit of unity and the festive season, support and convey your affection to those little Indians who equally deserve to celebrate but may not have the means to!

Akshaya Patra wishes each and everyone a very happy and prosperous New Year!

We would love to hear from you, so please use the below comment section to share your thoughts and feedbacks.

The power of the people manifested itself to win India freedom from an oppressive colonial power in 1947 and January 26, 1950, cemented its position in history as a republic. We, the people of India, are the ones who made this Republic; who continue to make this Republic.

Every revolution in the world started with We, the people. The will of the ordinary man fused with that of his/her fellow citizens to form a force. This force, against oppression, against the denial of basic rights, became a movement and permeated the collective conscience of the people. It instigated them to rise in revolt against the forces that kept them from their right to liberty, justice, equality and a decent life.

The preamble of the Constitution of India talks about ‘EQUALITY of status and of opportunity’. One of the important means to ensure this equality is by making education and its fruits available to the children of this great nation, who are brimming with potential. Making this a reality is full of challenges. A study conducted by UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) jointly with Global Education Monitoring Report in 2016, found that 47 million children dropped out of school by Std X. It also revealed that India has the third highest number of out-of-primary school children at 2.9 million, who have never attended school. One of the biggest roadblocks to education in the country is poverty, the study found.

Although the statistics of children attending schools in India is a little worrying, however, there is room for improvement. Our national development plans need to focus on the root cause that is poverty, which has forced many children quit education to support their family. Child labour is one such plague which is a direct outcome of poverty and due to this social and economic differences often families prefer earning instead of educating their children. A proper meal is all that these children look for every day and we as a society need to fight hunger and provide better opportunities to the young minds.

Role of NGOs and role of a social worker is crucial in today’s generation as they help us reach the ground level. We as a part of the society can build a system where children are fed properly and given equal opportunities irrespective if their background. The mid-day meals provided by Akshaya Patra works as an encouragement for all these children who might come from a challenging background but has high hopes and big dreams to achieve.

Akshaya Patra works in partnership with the Central and State governments of India to implement its Mid-Day Meal Programme, the largest of its kind in the world operated by an NGO.

With over 1.6 million beneficiaries in 12 Indian states, the Foundation’s ‘Unlimited Food for Education’ philosophy has fed the dreams of numerous children over the years. Its immediate mission is to feed 5 million children by 2020 every day, with a nutritious school lunch cooked in its ISO-certified, state-of-the-art kitchens.

Let this Republic Day celebration be towards the fulfilment of the dreams of India’s young hearts and minds. Pledge to feed the children and help the nation take a leap towards progress by contributing to a bright future lit with success and education.

It’s Christmas time! The time when we come together, exchange gifts and make merry. The supporters of The Akshaya Patra Foundation have been instrumental in ensuring that our beneficiary children get a full-stomach meal every day. This meal helps them be healthy, study hard and hope for a better career for themselves.

Our donors, both individuals and corporates, have been a major support in our endeavour to reach over 1.6 million children. These children are able to benefit from our school lunch programme, where we serve them a wholesome lunch every school day.

On this Christmas, be a Santa to a child. Support us and donate to ensure that they stay healthy and attend school every day.

Over 1.6 million children, 13,800+ schools, 33 kitchens, 12 states and the count still continues. Wondering what we are talking about? These are the milestones we have achieved in the last 17 years of our service to children. Yes, it’s our birthday on November 11!Over 1.6 million children, 13,800+ schools, 33 kitchens, 12 states and the count still continues. Wondering what we are talking about? These are the milestones we have achieved in the last 17 years of our service to children. Yes, it’s our birthday on November 11!

Journey through the past 17 years

We started with just 1,500 children in a school in Bengaluru, in the year 2000. The aim was to ensure that every school-going child gets to focus on studies without worrying about working to earn his or her meals. But then, we realised that there were many more children across the country who were forced to earn their meals. They were unable to attend school because of that. This made us add more kitchens to increase our reach. We currently have 33 kitchens in 12 states across India.

Hurdles faced

• The Foundation encountered its first challenge in the beginning of its endeavor when the vessels of khichdi would come back half-filled to the kitchen and there was no demand of a second helping. The headmaster of one of the schools helped the Foundation solve the mystery. He told us that the children need simple food, like something that is prepared at home. That’s when rice and sambar was introduced in the menu. Serving curd along with the meal proved to be a hit.
• Another challenge was to ensure that the food reaches schools on time. The routes were chalked out in advance to ensure that drivers don’t get confused and lose their way.
• The rice cooked in the schools was found to be sticky by the students. A machine was devised, which pushed the cooked grain downward. This ensured that the rice doesn’t get overcooked.
• With the staple food being roti in north India, the Foundation had to serve chapatis in the region. When making so many chapatis manually became impossible, the Foundation wanted to introduce a roti-making machine. Finding right one, which prepared chapatis in the way that children liked, looked impossible. After experimenting with a biscuit-making machine, which was customised to make rotis, finally the Foundation was able to deliver chapatis to the schools.

Milestones achieved

• 2000 – Started with feeding 1,500 children in Bengaluru
• 2002 – Understanding the need to serve children in north India, a roti-making machine was introduced in Vrindavan
• 2005 – The first de-centralised kitchen was set up in Baran. This was our first attempt to reach people in remote areas
• 2006 – Harvard Business School developed a case study on The Akshaya Patra Foundation
• 2009 – Akshaya Patra served 500 million cumulative meals
• 2012 – Served the billionth meal. Received Honorary Award on Social Responsibility by LASSIB Society. Ranked 23rd among top 100 NGOs by The Global Journal
• 2016 – Served 2 billionth meal

Awards won

• Chairman Madhu Pandit Dasa honoured with the Padma Shri in 2016, in recognition of the distinguished service rendered by Akshaya Patra towards the children of India
• Akshaya Patra awarded with Nikkei Asia Prize in 2016, in the category of ‘Economic & Business Innovation’ for bringing about socioeconomic development in Asia
• Received Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Memorial Award for Innovation in Governance
• Platinum Award at PRCI Collateral Awards, 2016 was presented to Akshaya Patra
• We became the first ever NGO to be inducted into the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India’s (ICAI) Hall of Fame
• Awarded with the ABP News Positive Award in 2015
• Akshaya Patra conferred with the Asian MAKE (Most Admired Knowledge Enterprise) award by CII (Confederation of Indian Industry).

Donors appreciate

Thanks to all at Akshaya Patra who strive hard from the wee hours of the morning to get hygienic and nutritious meals out to children daily!

—Veena Thimmaya, Director SA Global India

Charity means helping the hapless, the needy and the infirm in whatever way I can. That way, I can make them feel that they are not alone in this world. I am particularly impressed with the efficiency of the kitchens and the sincerity of the people manning the units at Akshaya Patra.

—GP Girija Shankar, retired senior banker

Keeping our corporate philosophy of focusing on water conservation, providing nutritious food and education for school children, we are pleased to have been associated with Akshaya Patra. We are particularly impressed with the back end kitchen facilities which were hygienically clean. Wishing the children a great future under your patronage.

—Harish Mehta, Senior General Manager, Dhanuka Agritech Limited

On this National Education Day, when we also celebrate our birthday, we feel proud of nourishing over 1.6 million children and helping them aspire for a better future. While the journey has been exciting and challenging, the response we have received is overwhelming. It makes us happy to see children motivated to come to school and focus on studies, rather than being forced to work. They are assured a wholesome meal in a day.

Working towards the same cause of ensuring education for all, Akshaya Patra aspires to serve 5 million children. Support us in our cause. Donate Today.

Giving. The word holds much power. It denotes overcoming a very human instinct – that of wanting to possess. This week, India celebrates the biggest philanthropic event – Daan Utsav (Joy of Giving Week 2017) – to encourage, recognise and applaud the spirit of generosity.

The Akshaya Patra Foundation would like to thank our generous donors for all the contributions they have made to us in the past and hope we continue to receive your support. While giving is often equated with cash or gifts, one need not always part with material wealth or possessions as an act of generosity and kindness. There are some gifts that hold enormous value and are touchingly personal in nature. Here are some of them:

Time
Time is valuable, irreplaceable commodity. Devote some time to people in need of your attentions, affections, advice or comfort. In a world that is rushing past quicker by the millisecond, with careers and aspirations taking the front seats when it comes to priorities, stopping by to give someone your time is a wonderful thing. Once gone, a moment is lost forever, so make the most of the chances you have today to make a gift of your time.

Patience
Patience is a virtue. It is precious because it isn’t intrinsic, but needs to be cultivated. One of the biggest reliefs is when someone is patient with your flaws and shortcomings. Making an active effort to be patient, with oneself and with others, is a gift that not only brings success in the long run, but also contentment and happiness to oneself and others.

Empathy
To judge another is easy. It takes little mind and heart to do that. To empathise, though, is entirely difficult. Putting oneself in the shoes of another, understanding their motivations and empathising with them, even though one doesn’t agree, is a courageous thing to do. Much hatred and bigotry in the world comes from lack of empathy, so this is one gift that could be the key to a kinder future.

Trust
The events that dominate public consciousness by means of news and information are largely negative in nature. In such times, trust doesn’t come easily. Being able to offer one’s trust to a fellow human being also means putting oneself in a vulnerable position. Those who take the risk and trust others, convey to people that they really care and are willing to go the extra mile for them.

Love
Iconic musical outfit, The Beatles, hit the right note when they sang, All You Need Is Love. The antidote to strife, violence, selfishness and despair most certainly is love. The biggest gift one can give to another is that of unconditional love. It leaps beyond the boundaries of time, distance, caste, creed, nationality, beliefs and religion and to create a magical experience for those giving, as well as those receiving it.

As India celebrates the spirit of philanthropy with Daan Utsav 2017, we wish you avail the joys of giving by donating the material resources at your disposal, along with your time, patience, empathy, trust and love and spread the light!

In a quiet lane of Nagpur’s Khamla area lies a small school by the name of Nishatai Wankhede Uchcha Prathamik Shala (Nishatai Wankhede Higher Primary School). Here, we met an adorable brother-sister duo – Aarti and Mohit Patle – studying in Std VII and Std VI respectively. The school knows them as siblings who can never be separated. That’s how we got to speak with them together and also got to experience the love they have for each other.

Mohit considers Daya from CID, a popular TV show, as his inspiration. The character has motivated him to join Crime Investigation Department as his career option after he grows up. “I want to become a CID (Crime Investigation Department) officer because I love the TV show CID. I like it when ACP Pradyuman says ‘Daya, darwaza todo!’ (Daya, break the door!).”

When asked to elaborate on his ambitions, he says, “I want to nab criminals. I like the way CID officers hold their guns and catch criminals. To be eligible to take up such a job, I need to study well and build my strength. I exercise and run every day to be fit and qualify for the same. He counts English, Hindi and Mathematics as his favourite subjects and kabaddi as his most liked sport. “I like reading in English. I communicate with my friends in Hindi. I like challenges and with Mathematics, I get to solve the sums. Therefore, I like the subject.” he adds.

Mohit’s 13-year-old sister Aarti, studying in Std VII, looked at him fondly as he speaks with us. When we asked her about her ambition, she says that she sees herself as a civil engineer in future.

“I want to design buildings. I enjoy drawing. I would need this skill to make designs of building so I am happy about it,” she said. Her favourite subjects, she said, are Mathematics and English. “I like reading stories of inspirational people in English,” she continued. Her favourite teacher is her English teacher, Miss Dandekar, because, “She encourages children to study well,” she says.

The siblings’ family is the one that encourages their educational pursuits. Their father is an electrician and mother works as a house help. They have three other siblings – a 24-year-old sister pursuing a polytechnic course; another 20-year-old sister studying Bachelors in Science (BSc); and an 18-year-old brother who works for the upcoming Nagpur Metro project, whilst studying for the entrance exam for Indian Railways. All the elder siblings encourage and motivate Mohit and Aarti to study well so that they attract good employment opportunities in future. Their brother helps them understand lessons at home and ensures that they finish their schoolwork.

Akshaya Patra’s mid-day meals served at school are well-liked by Mohit and Aarti. Both confess to loving dal and rice. Aarti added, “I like the masale bhaat served on Saturdays too!”

We hope the duo continue finding much encouragement and support to pursue their dreams!

Support other children like Mohit and Aarti through our NGO. Donate Today.

All life-force on the planet is sustained by that vital element of nature – water. Water scarcity and lack of potable water have become grave concerns, thanks primarily to exploding human population and climate change. The problem is even more severe in the summer season, as heat scorches the earth. The need to conserve, recycle and reuse water should sit at the top of the list of priorities of governments, organisations and individuals, if this life-sustaining force is to be available to one and all. At Akshaya Patra, we have numerous processes in place to ensure that the water we use is clean and that we use it efficiently.

Feeding over 1.6 million children across India is a formidable task and we ensure that we make the most economical use of water. The activities in our kitchens that make use of water are preprocessing foodgrains, vegetables and pulses; cooking, packing and distribution of food; cleaning of vessels and equipment; cleaning vehicles and cleaning and maintaining a hygienic environment inside the kitchen. The technologies we employ to ensure safe water are:

• Chlorine dosing – For chlorination of water to purify it
• Multi-grade filters – Where water is purified by passing it through numerous layers of filter media
• Micron filers – Where water is filtered using screens that have microscopic holes in them
• Reverse Osmosis (RO) systems – They purify water by making use of a semipermeable membrane, employing the principle of reverse osmosis to remove molecules, ions and larger particles
• Ultraviolet (UV) treatment – Where ultraviolet light is used to disinfect water and eliminate harm-causing waterborne microorganisms
• Ion exchange water treatment for steam production – Which gets rid of undesirable ionic contaminants in water

Water consumption in our kitchens too is reduced with the help of vegetable washing machines, rice washers, steam cooking, high-pressure jets for equipment and vehicle cleaning, vessel cleaning machines and vessel cleaning showers with tanks.

We also conduct regular training and awareness programmes for our employees to create awareness about water management and conservation. Wastewater generated in our kitchens is recycled. This recycled water is reused for gardening. Our kitchens, besides using renewable energy such as solar energy and biogas, also harvest rainwater. Thus, ensure that we minimise wastage and usage of water in our kitchens and grow in a sustainable manner. We will continue making intensive efforts to conserve, recycle and reuse water in the future to ensure sustainable development.

Adieu 2016, welcome 2017! The New Year is upon us – a time for new beginnings, forgetting past sorrows and imbibing the lessons learnt previously for a wiser tomorrow. It is also the time to count your blessings and be thankful for them. The dawn of New Year 2017 is a wonderful time to make a difference to the lives of India’s school children. Just as you have hopes and dreams for a brand new year, they too have New Year wishes. These primarily include wanting to study well, so that they fulfill their ambitions and secure their futures.

Akshaya Patra strives hard to end classroom hunger and feed the dreams of young school kids across the nation. It gives wings to the hopes of children with its unlimited food for education initiative, by means of a wholesome, nutritious school lunch every day. This is what helps in drawing them to school day after day, every year. Currently, The Foundation feeds over 1.6 million children, across 11 states in India, expanding its footprint in India every successive year. Its New Year resolution is to bring many more children under its wings and feed 5 million children by 2020.

The fight against classroom hunger is a collective one and it needs more soldiers to join it every year. If a future free from hunger and full of education can be envisioned, it can be achieved. Why not resolve this year to join the cause of ‘food for education’ and put your best foot forward to ensure that India’s school kids are adequately nourished? Donate now to the cause! We also would also like to know the New Year resolutions you have made to do your bit for a hunger-free India. Tell us the same in the ‘comments’ section below. You can also leave New Year wishes for our beneficiaries!

From everyone at The Akshaya Patra Foundation, we wish you a healthy, happy and prosperous New Year 2017!