General

Do you want to spend your time doing something worthwhile? Have you always wanted to be the beacon of change and make a difference in the world? Are you unsure where to start? The experience you seek may come from your internship at The Akshaya Patra Foundation – an NGO that serves hot and nutritious mid-day meals to children studying in government schools.

Most of our interns commit to a one-month to three-month internship period. We, at Akshaya Patra, will be glad to have you on board if you want to stay longer.

Our internship programme provides an opportunity to gain an insight into the development sector through hands-on grassroots work and to make a real contribution. Interns get an opportunity to work in every area of our programmes and can spend a substantial amount of time in the field.

Offering top-notch internships, we give NGO interns the chance to:

• Gain knowledge from professionals in the field
• Work in an environment that enables them to hone both new and current abilities
• Assimilate knowledge gained from their academic pursuits
• Participate in the growth of one of the best NGOs while working in a diversified setting
We offer internship opportunities all year round, although summer and winter internships are prioritised according to the needs of students and volunteers and the academic institution’s calendar.

We have a programme of onboarding 4-6 interns throughout specific times depending on the requirement and resources available.

The interns in our NGO are required to commit to a minimum of four weeks to ensure continuity and measurable results. To officially start the internship period, the interns are first introduced to our services and programmes and then their skill set is matched with the organisation’s current needs. This carefully thought-out approach transforms internships from a random collection of activities into a fruitful endeavour for both the organisation and the interns.

What interns say

“Interning at The Akshaya Patra Foundation has been a great experience. I could be a part of the NGO’s mission. As an intern, I got a chance to work on various projects such as scholarship, operations, communications and impact assessment. The experience gave me valuable insights into non-profit management, social impact strategies and the challenges and rewards of working in the social sector. I am very grateful to Akshaya Patra for allowing me to work with industry experts and hone my professional skills.”

If you are interested in interning with Akshaya Patra, please send an email to jobs@akshayapatra.org with your most recent resume.

The mere thought of a child sitting in the class on an empty stomach, unable to concentrate on studies, is heart-wrenching. It is the reason Akshaya Patra strives to go the extra mile and reach children in the nook and corner of the country. Since its inception in 2000, the organisation has diligently pursued its vision of ‘No child in India shall be deprived of education because of hunger.’ Headquartered in Bengaluru, the organisation presently has kitchens in 16 states and 2 UTs. Let us take you on a tour of Akshaya Patra kitchens in Gujarat.

Akshaya Patra in Gujarat

A major factor that accelerated the entry of Akshaya Patra NGO in Gujarat was the visit of the honourable Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, to the Bengaluru facility in 2007. With the support of the government, corporates and individual donors, we started serving first in Surat in 2009. Currently, we have eight centralised kitchens in the state, through which we are serving 4,06,437 children in 3,416 schools. The mid-day meals have succeeded in bringing more children to schools.

The menu

The menu differs each day to give children a variety of tastes, adhering to the local palate and thus satisfying their food preferences. This also meets the nutritional standards of children.

Beneficiary children

What makes us one of the most popular NGOs in Gujarat is our commitment to create an equitable world by ensuring nutrition and education for all children, especially from marginalised communities. As an implementing partner of the Government of India’s PM POSHAN Abhiyaan (Mid-Day Meal Programme or MDM), we are striving to nourish the dreams of all children. The improvement in the enrollment, attendance and retention rates proves that all efforts have been fruitful. By donating online, you can also support us in our endeavours to realise the dreams of children like Divya, Vanjara and Deepika.

Join us in this journey of alleviating classroom hunger under the MDM Programme. Donate online and be a changemaker.

Neeraj, age eleven, lives with his parents and siblings in Badarpur, New Delhi. In the recent past, his father struggled to find a steady job and his family would often have to go without food. Neeraj recently talked to us at Akshaya Patra about his goals and objectives over a mid-day meal at his school. He said: “I want to be an army officer so I can help other people.” Neeraj’s life has changed dramatically since the NGO’s Mid-Day Meal Programme was implemented. Akshaya Patra not only satisfies his hunger but also encourages him to dream of a better future.

Just like Neeraj, there are thousands of children in Delhi who depend on Akshaya Patra’s school lunch for their nutritional needs. The NGO has been operating in the national capital since 1 January 2019 and serves mid-day meals to over 77,000 students across 356 schools at present through its four kitchens in Delhi—Mohan Co-Op, Jahangirpuri, Gole Market and Badli.

To match up to the local palate of the region and ensure that children receive adequate and wholesome nutrition every school day, the NGO serves an assortment of dishes on a rotational basis. The menu comprises ajawain poori, aloo chana, aloo chole, rice, mixed dal, urad chana dal, rajma, mixed vegetable, aloo soya, plain kadi, jeera rice, dal with vegetables, aloo gajar matar, cookies, pickle and more.

These meals not only safeguard children’s nutrition but also encourage children to attend school regularly, complete their education and pursue their aspirations. When children follow their dreams, they make positive contributions to the nation.

According to UNICEF, nutrition is a fundamental component of human development and effective, extensive programming may both lessen the impact of undernutrition and deprivation on a national level and promote national development.

Here is a story of hope from one of Akshaya Patra’s beneficiary schools in Delhi.

The 11-year-old is the eldest of five siblings. His father is a tailor and the only earning member of the family. Naveen’s mother is a housewife and looks after his ailing grandmother. With financial challenges crossing their path almost every day, he says that Akshaya Patra’s meals are a glimmer of hope. They motivate him and his siblings to go to school regularly, focus in class, lend a hand at home and go the extra mile for their goals

“A soldier’s life is demanding as they do not live with their families. It tests their strength and pushes them past their limits. They become stronger while enjoying a sense of purpose throughout their life. They protect without complaining. No life is insignificant to them. During natural disasters, they assist us selflessly and even put their lives on the line if the need arises. Thus, I believe that being a defence personnel is the finest choice for those who want to live a content life and serve their country. We can sleep peacefully today because our armed forces defend us at the border. That’s why, being a part of the Indian Army is an opportunity, not just a career option,” adds Naveen gleaming with pride.

Today, he is striving relentlessly towards his goals while also helping his parents with chores before and after school hours. The class 7 student is grateful for the NGO’s hot, nourishing and delicious meals he receives at school. He also fondly remembers the Happiness Kits that were distributed during the pandemic, with study material in them.

The Mid-Day Meal Programme of Akshaya Patra in Delhi is a testimony of The Foundation’s dedication towards the implementation of the Centre’s PM POSHAN Abhiyaan. Having been in operation for five years in the region, it is hardly surprising that seeing the NGO’s food delivery vehicles in the national capital brings smiles on the faces of many.

To multiply these smiles, donate to Akshaya Patra.

Good food is essential for our healthy living. However, access to healthy and safe food is challenging nowadays as commercialisation has penetrated even in food materials and thus, numerous food-borne diseases have started flourishing. As per the reports of the World Health Organisation (WHO), “over 200 diseases are caused by eating contaminated food.” To raise awareness about the importance of ensuring food safety, the United Nations General Assembly with the support of the World Health Organisation and Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) started observing 7 June as World Food Safety Day. “Food Safety – Prepare for the Unexpected” is this year’s theme.

As an NGO that provides mid-day meals to children in government and government-aided schools, Akshaya Patra strives to provide children safe, hygienic mid-day meals.

Let’s have a look at some of the food hygiene and safety principles we follow to ensure children’s health.

• Quality check of the raw materials

Assuring the quality of raw materials is important to serve good meals. So we follow a criteria for supplier selection and procurement of raw materials. If the raw materials do not meet the expected standards, we return them. In addition, we conduct regular inspections to ensure raw materials meet all the specifications adapted from the Food Safety Standards Act 2006 (FSSA).

• Preservation of raw materials

Once the quality checking is done, raw materials for cooking are stored appropriately to retain their quality. The vegetables that we procure daily are cleaned thoroughly and sanitised before cutting. Ready-to-cut vegetables are stored in cold storage. The rice supplied by the Food Corporation of India is machine-cleaned to ensure that all contaminants are eliminated before cooking. All the kitchens follow the FIFO (First In-First Out) and FEFO (First Expiry-First Out) methods to maintain the freshness and quality of the raw materials. Thereby, the kitchens can preserve and store the raw materials without spoilage.

• Maintenance of quality and safety during cooking process

The cooking process of all kitchens adheres to food safety standards. The first step is to sterilise all the equipment including cauldrons, sambar/dal tanks, knives and cutting boards using steam. The vessels used in kitchens are made of stainless steel of 304 grade which is best for cooking. Our kitchen staff are properly trained to follow the food safety measures and also to maintain their personal hygiene.

• Food packing and transportation

Once the cooking is done, the food is packed in steam sterilised vessels. Our specially designed vehicles are also steam sterilised before loading. The vehicles are designed in such a way as to save the food temperature and its freshness. We also use logistic charting and GPRS to ensure safe and on-time delivery.

• Post delivery

Taking regular feedback from schools is a crucial step that we follow to bring necessary improvements. The quality officers in the kitchen take action accordingly. We have also institutionalised Good Manufacturing Process (GMP), monthly audits and surprise audits to ensure food safety and quality.

• Continual improvement method

To enhance the quality of mid-day meals, we designed a programme called AkshayaPragathi. For this, we follow Kaizen philosophy, CI Projects and Six Sigma methodologies. Regular training workshops are conducted for employees in kitchens across the country.

All the efforts that we put in are to bring more children under the Government of India’s PM POSHAN Abhiyaan (the Mid-Day Meal Programme) and thus achieve our vision – ‘No child in India shall be deprived of education because of hunger.’ The numerous food safety awards that we have won over the years are a testament to our commitment to provide children healthy and safe mid-day meals.

Let’s have a glimpse at some of the awards that we received for food safety.

• Surat and Vadodara units received Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Award for Food Safety in 2016

• Our Vasanthapura kitchen (Bengaluru) received the top position for the Outstanding Performance in Food Safety and Hubballi kitchen received the second highest position of the ‘Certificate of Commendation for Significant Achievement in Food Safety’ at the CII National Award for Food Safety 2014 during the 9th Food Safety and Quality Summit

• Akshaya Patra Bellary received the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) National Award for Food Safety – 2013, for efficient Food Safety and Quality Systems

Safe food means fewer illnesses which in turn improves attendance and retention rates in schools. When you support us, you are taking a significant step to alleviate malnutrition in children and empowering them to learn well and dream big.

Donate online to nurture children by ensuring their continued access to safe and nutritious meals. Let’s build a healthy and happy generation together!

There is an English saying, ‘Blood is thicker than water’ expressing how family links are stronger than any other bonds. But friends are like brothers and sisters from different mothers. They will stand with you throughout your life and celebrate your victories as their own. To honour this beautiful relationship, India started celebrating Friendship Day on the first Sunday of August. This year, it falls on 6th August.

Good friends are necessary to have a happy life. With them, we share our joys, sorrows, and worries and ask for advice to solve the problems that we face in life. From getting a second opinion on a dress to seeking advice to deal with the challenges of life, we run to our friends. It’s not that we are unable to make decisions. Sometimes we may not be able to comprehend the problem alone, and so we need the help of someone whom we can trust. Friends are trustworthy people who actively listen to you and will not judge you. They will listen to you patiently, validate your feelings, point out your mistakes and support you to become the best version of yourself. When you go through the tough currents of life, they will encourage you to sail courageously and will stand like a guiding star, nurturing hope about positive endings.

The bond between friends cannot be broken by distance, time or anything else because friendship is formed on the foundation of love. Your friend doesn’t need to have similar views and opinions. There will be disagreements but that will never crack friendship. Instead, it gives us the ability to view matters from different perspectives.

School- An environment for nurturing friendships

Friendship during childhood is the purest form of friendship since children are open and receptive to everyone without being judgmental. So, making friends in that stage is much simpler. For many people, childhood friends are their only true companions in life. School is an environment for childhood friendship. So, schooling is important for every child not only because it educates them but also helps them to develop social skills which are essential to connect with people. Interacting with classmates will slowly turn into a strong friendship which in turn boosts the happiness and general well-being of children. Schools provide children with an environment for psycho-social development that makes them competent enough to face the future.

Akshaya Patra: A true companion of children

Just as a friend shows companionship in one’s life, Akshaya Patra is striving to be the best companion for schoolchildren by addressing all the challenges they face while pursuing their dreams. As an NGO for children, we understand the importance of nutrition in the physical, mental and cognitive development of a child. Under the Government of India’s Mid-Day Meal Programme (PM POSHAN Abhiyaan), we ensure that children in government and government-aided schools receive hot, tasty and nutritious meals throughout their academic year. Currently, our 67 kitchens all over India are feeding over 2 million children per day.

Akshaya Patra encourages children on their quest to achieve a good position in life, standing by their side like a best friend. Our mission is to become the best companion for 3 million children by 2023 by feeding them healthy meals.

Usually, Friendship Day is celebrated by tying vibrant bands on the wrists of friends as a symbol of their unbreakable bond. In this current digital age, there are many more options for celebrating this special day, like sharing a picture with a note about your best friend on social media, using tags, comments and sending digital cards.

This year, try something new by contributing to feeding the children in school, who are learning and growing together.

After going through a tough time with the COVID-19 crisis, all of us are looking forward to ending this season. It is the tax season and is not anyone’s favourite time of the year. However, as responsible citizens, we have to pay our taxes now. Whether you are a salaried employee or a self-employed, a part of your income is deducted as tax. There is a huge list of how you get tax exemption – Public Provident Fund, House Rent Allowance, education loan, donations, etc.

Paying income tax is our responsibility. But, there are ways in which you can save tax too and that effective way is by getting involved with an NGO. That’s right, non-governmental organizations address issues focus on alleviating problems at grass root levels; this could include elderly care, bio conservation, wildlife preservation, hunger, children’s education, etc.

There could be many reasons why you would donate to charities, but isn’t it a bonus if you can change lives and save tax in return? Once you embark upon the journey of giving with Akshaya Patra, you change lives of children who have certain dreams – dreams of becoming a Doctor, a Singer, an Agricultural Officer, A chef, etc.

Read stories of our beneficiary children here.

The Akshaya Patra Foundation is an NGO that serves children with nutritious mid-day meals to children in Government and Government-aided schools. Daily, 1.8 million children are fed with school meals in 52 locations across 12 States & 2 Union Territories. But the pandemic led to the closure of schools for an indefinite time. This resulted in children becoming visibly weaker since they did not get access to their only source of a healthy meal. To continue its service to children, Akshaya Patra began the Happiness Kits programme which ensured that their health, immunity, hygiene and learning was not hampered during the crisis. This programme began on 25th August 2020 and so far, 5 lakh beneficiaries have received the Happiness Kit that provides them with peanuts, desi chana, jaggery, ragi flour, turmeric powder, soaps, sanitisers, sanitary pack (for girl beneficiaries), activity workbook and stationeries. Yet, 13 lakh mid-day meal beneficiaries await for their share of Happiness Kits.
Provide Happiness Kits & gain income tax exemption by donating here.

The Ministry of Home Affairs has allowed the reopening of schools in a phase-wise manner. But the question remains – Are schools safe for children now? To support the safe reopening of schools, Akshaya Patra has started the School Reopen Sanitisation Project. By providing personal items like masks and water bottles; hygiene items like sanitisers and soaps; infrastructural materials like sanitiser dispenser; and posters that create awareness and re-iterate social distancing, are provided to each school. This means that children can be safe, secure and yet enjoy the classroom atmosphere.
Ensure a healthy learning environment for children by donating here.

Every donation is utilised towards the betterment of children’s health – either by serving mid-day meals or by distributing Happiness Kits or creating a safe school environment. Donate and save tax under section 80G of the Income Tax of India, 1961. All donations made above ₹500 are eligible for tax exemption. It’s a win-win situation where you support a noble cause and save in return.

New normal has just begun; slowly things are trying to get back to their old lifestyles with a few changes here and there. So is the case with Akshaya Patra, an NGO in India too. As schools have decided to start reopening with the guidelines given by the Central Government of India, the Foundation’s kitchens have also started gearing up. Here is the latest Akshaya Patra’s News – the NGO has inaugurated its centralised kitchens in Jamnagar, Gujarat and Guwahati, Assam.

More kitchens mean more places to serve mid-day meals to school children. So far in Gujarat, 6 kitchens were set up in Ahmedabad, Bhavnagar, Vadodara, Surat, Kalol and Bhuj. The NGO kitchen in Jamnagar will be a centralised unit that will prepare, cook and deliver mid-day meals to children studying in Government and Government-aided schools of the city.

However, the kitchen in Guwahati has been relocated in a different location in the city itself and has been upgraded to feed more mid-day meal beneficiaries when compared to the earlier number of 20,000 school children.

Akshaya Patra’s kitchens in Jamnagar and Guwahati
The centralised kitchen in Jamnagar was inaugurated on 15th January 2021 by the Chief Minister of the state, Shri Vijay Rupani and in Guwahati on 20th January 2021 by the Chief Minister of Assam, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal. The kitchens are sponsored by The Reliance Foundation and Jamnagar Municipal Corporation and Airports Authority of India respectively that have the capacity to cook 50,000 meals each, every day. Here is a glimpse of the inauguration of each of these kitchens:

Inauguration of Jamnagar kitchen

Inauguration of Guwahati kitchen

Utmost care is taken to ensure that children’s health is not compromised. Stainless steel of 304 grade is used in the kitchens for the endurance of high levels of temperatures. These include rice chutes, rice cookers, dal cauldrons, vegetable cutters, roti making machine, etc.

Top-notch equipment used for hygienic preparation of food
A series of high-end equipment is used to ensure minimal human interaction while food is being prepared. This includes:

Rice cauldrons
These rice cauldrons are a bigger version of the rice cookers used at home. However, these have a capacity of 500 litres. These cauldrons are easy to clean and handle with a steam jacket. Once the rice is cooked, the whole cauldron can be tilted to be packed into insulated vessels at a later stage of delivery.

Atta kneading and Roti making machine
Akshaya Patra caters to the local palate to avoid wastage of food. Since rotis are preferred more in the North States than in Southern India, to reduce time spent in kneading and rolling, a roti-making machine is installed in the Guwahati and Jamnagar kitchens. Each machine has the capacity of kneading 75 kilos of wheat flour per hour and making a whopping number of 10,000 rotis per hour.

Biogas and RO plants
Akshaya Patra has adopted biogas systems in its centralised kitchens to convert organic waste into heat energy. This plant has the capacity to convert 1,000 kilos into clean energy every single day. This energy is used for fire-based cooking like frying and seasoning.

The kitchens use a three-step purification technology called Reverse Osmosis. This method of purification is used to make drinking water more potable. This also ensures that children’s health is not affected.

The NGO kitchens in Jamnagar and Guwahati use high-end technology that will feed approximately one lakh children on a daily basis. This means that the NGO in India is one more step closer to achieving its mission of feeding 5 million children by 2025.

Support Akshaya Patra in its endeavours.

On December 8, 2020, we welcomed the Assistant Administrative Officer (AAO) from Principal Accountant General Office, Hyderabad, Mr S.V.V.S Prasad to our newest kitchen in Gambhiram, Andhra Pradesh.

Mr Prasad toured the kitchen facility, to get a first-hand look at the operations inside the mega-kitchen capable of cooking 30,000 meals a day. The Gambhiram facility serves midday meals to 179 schools in the area, serving over 14,000 beneficiaries every school day. During the lockdown, the kitchen facility was mobilized for Akshaya Patra’s COVID-19 Relief Efforts, which included cooked meals and dry ration kit distribution to vulnerable families.

On completion of the tour and a detailed review of the operations, Shri Prasad Ji graciously took a moment to share a few words of encouragement, “I personally found the activities taken up i.e. distribution of dry rations and Happiness Kits by the organization during the COIVD-19 pandemic are very helpful to school going children. Further, the organization is maintaining kitchen with utmost care following safety norms and providing nutritious food to children.” He signs off, “I wish the staff of the organization for their contribution in this great service to the needy children. I hope the organization will cover more districts in A.P in the coming years. All the best Akshaya Patra Foundation.”

We thank Shri Prasad Ji for his kind wishes and words of encouragement.

Thanks to the support of our generous donors and well-wishers, Akshaya Patra continues serving its beneficiary children through the Happiness Kits Initiative and supporting vulnerable families through COVID-19 Relief Efforts.

The service continues…

Your greatness is not what you have, but in what you give, said Alice Hawker.
This saying holds good even today. Charity means generosity in giving something to the needy out of kindness. This act could involve doing charitable acts at home or making charitable donations towards various NGOs. It is a widely believed notion that charity brings prosperity. Prosperity means a range of things that include:
• Spiritual growth
• Success
• Financial gain
• Profit in return
Involving in an act of charity generally means that apart from our own self, you help someone else’s life to get better. As one big society and family, we need to create a supportive environment for each other’s well-being.

What are the benefits of making a donation?
By contributing towards making someone’s life better:

• You change a person’s life completely – While you help those in need, you develop positive characters in yourself. When you support in relieving others from their struggles, you gain another perspective in life – a perspective in which you start understanding other’s struggles.
• You set an example for the next generation – Generosity can be a simple concept which can teach children to be a ‘giver’ and kind. When children grow up into being generous adults, a mature selfless is established where everyone takes care of each other. Children will know that giving their time, energy and actions without expecting anything in return is a high form of reward.
• You gain happiness and satisfaction for having changed lives – A study from Syracuse University in 2007, concluded that people who are likely to give, declare themselves to be more than non-givers.
How we treat other is how we would like to be treated ourselves. This is a golden rule of life that drives all of us to help others consistently.

What are the different forms of helping others?
There is no limitation to work towards the betterment of people. There are different ways in which one can do good. This can either be by donating in-kind towards a cause or by making online donations. There are millions of NGOs in India that are in need of charitable donations.
One such charity in India is The Akshaya Patra Foundation, which implements the Central Government’s Mid-Day Meal Programme.

Benefits of donating to Akshaya Patra
Donating healthy meals to children helps them to grow into responsible citizens of tomorrow. It helps in:
• Overall physical and cognitive development of children.
• Increasing the attention span and ability to concentrate better in class.
• Decreasing school dropout rates.
• Increasing number of children enrolling in schools.
• Improving nutritional levels in children.

By giving them a well-deserved school life, you increase your chances of receiving goodness in your life. Apart from getting millions of good-wishes, you benefit monetarily with Akshaya Patra. This means that you gain tax exemption on every donation made towards Akshaya Patra’s cause. Give more to gain more happiness in your life.

Your donation can be the reason for millions of smiles

The Akshaya Patra Foundation is a non-profit organisation that has continuously worked towards providing mid-day meals to children studying in Government and Government-aided schools. It serves 1.8 million children across 52 locations spread in 12 States and 2 Union Territories. Donate and make a difference into the lives of people who really need your support. Be it in times of crisis or during regular days, your contribution goes a long way.

As we grew up from being little, mischievous children to mature, decision-making adults, there was a realisation that set in. Every step we take is always towards making progress. This applies to individuals, businesses, organizations and every being that strives to achieve. This is the story of Akshaya Patra as well. The Akshaya Patra Foundation is a non-profit organization that works towards providing unlimited food for education to children studying in Government schools and Government-aided schools.

Each school day, Akshaya Patra beneficiaries receive locally palatable school meals. For example, while children of Rajasthan enjoy their state-specific menu items during lunch, children of Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Odisha or any other state are served with lunch that suits their local taste buds. However, utmost care is taken to ensure all children receive the recommended dietary nutrients every single day.

Akshaya Patra’s reach across India:
• 18,00,907 children
• 19,039 schools
• 52 locations
• 12 States & 2 Union Territories

Akshaya Patra has been working relentlessly towards providing school meals to school children on a daily basis since 2000. While making progresses to nourish more and more children with wholesome mid-day meals, Akshaya Patra also focusses on Anganwadi Feeding Programme, Breakfast Programme, and Meal Plate Distribution Programme.

Below is an overview of Akshaya Patra’s work during the fiscal 2019-2020:

New kitchens:
With the objective to benefit more children with Mid-Day Meal Programme, Akshaya Patra started new kitchens in 10 locations:

Disaster relief service:
Akshaya Patra proactively responded to several natural disasters and crisis by providing food to the needy and affected people. In 2019-2020, Akshaya Patra stepped up during:
• Odisha Cyclone Relief (15 May 2019 to 6 June 2019): It served a total of 1 lakh meals in cyclone-hit areas of Brahmagiri, Satar, Kanas, Gok, and Satyabadi
• Assam Flood Relief (17 July 2019 to 3 August 2019): It served a total of 52,880 meals in Athgaon area of Kamrup District.
• North Karnataka Flood Relief (6 August 2019 to 17 August 2019): It served a total of 2,19,736 meals in Dharwad region.
• COVID-19 Relief Service (25th March 2020 till present day): It served 33,52,911 meals and 1,64,066 dry grocery kits across Rajasthan, Gujarat, NCR, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Telangana, Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Madhya Pradesh as on 7th April 2020.

Achievements:
• The Akshaya Patra Foundation was honoured with the Outlook Poshan Special Jury Award in 2019 for its valuable contribution in the Urban Nutrition (Institution) category.
• Akshaya Patra won the BBC World Service Global Food Champion Award 2019, which is an annual award that honours people or causes that help societies and inspires lives.
• The Mahatma Award for Social Good was conferred on The Akshaya Patra Foundation for its impact on society by implementing the Mid-Day Meal Programme.
• Akshaya Patra’s Thane kitchen received the CII Award for strong commitment to food safety in the category of ‘Small & Medium Food Service – Catering.
• The Jury of CII recommended the recognition level of Trophy for Outstanding Performance in Food Safety to Akshaya Patra’s Bhavnagar Kitchen.
• The Indian Chamber of Commerce – Social Impact Awards 2020 was honoured to The Akshaya Patra Foundation for ‘Promoting Education in Large Project Category.’
• Akshaya Patra was honoured with Rotary Karnataka CSR Awards 2020 in the category of CSR Excellence in Basic Education and Literacy.
• Akshaya Patra Won Gold at League of American Communications Professionals (LACP) vision Awards.
The Akshaya Patra Foundation has diligently worked towards serving the Nation and its citizens. There are many tasks that are still in line for making the future better. You can also contribute towards the role of NGO and reach out to fellow citizens and children of the nation.

Akshaya Patra has left no stone unturned to nourish children on each school day and provide food relief to the needy during crisis hours.
Your contribution will definitely ensure a better and brighter future.