World Earth Day is here. Yet another day reminding us of the importance of preserving the only home we have. It urges us to restore what has been lost – to revive the rivers that once flowed with crystal-clear water, to replenish the earth with trees again and help the land regain its fertility and all the attributes it once possessed.

This day calls for a global movement, for clean water, clean air, clean energy and climate stability by protecting the present not-so-clean sky, the not-so-clean air, the not-so-clean water and thus help them rejuvenate.

At Akshaya Patra, we are committed to serving mid-day meals to children under PM POSHAN Abhiyaan (Mid-Day Meal Programme or MDM) while ensuring our operations remain environmentally sustainable. We employ different methods to reduce its carbon footprint.

Our Eco-Friendly Initiatives include:

• Solar Powered Kitchens
Many of our kitchen rooftops are equipped with solar PV panels, reducing dependence on fossil fuels and thus reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Our Barsana kitchen in Uttar Pradesh is fully operated by solar. In the financial year 2025-26, with 3,825 kW of solar capacity across all our kitchens, we reduced 2,577 tonnes of CO2, which is equivalent to the carbon absorption of 1,17,124 trees.

• Electric Vehicles
Our fleet includes 203 Electric Vehicles (EVs) delivering freshly prepared, warm, nutritious mid-day meals to children across India while reducing carbon emissions in the road transport sector. Our aim is to expand to 1,000 EVs by 2030. In the financial year 2025-26 alone, these EVs have reduced 582 tonnes of carbon emissions, which is equivalent to planting 26,436 trees.

• Biogas Plants
We manage our organic solid waste through biogas plants, converting it into energy and thus reducing our dependence on LPG. Currently, fifteen of our kitchens have biogas plants converting 340 metric tonnes of waste. This is equivalent to planting 1,818 trees.

• IIOT Enablement of Kitchens for Smart Control
By enabling Industrial Internet of Things (IIOT) technologies across all our kitchens. Smart sensors and data-driven systems allow real-time monitoring and control over the massive-scale cooking processes. This helps reduce food waste, optimise energy and water usage and lower overall carbon emissions. Our target is to optimise resource consumption by 20% through this technology.

• Biomass Briquettes
Instead of conventional fuels like coal and charcoal, we use biomass briquettes, made from agricultural waste such as wood pieces, grain husks and banana peel, to prepare mid-day meals.

• FIFO and FEFO
We follow FIFO (First In, First Out) and FEFO (First Expired, First Out) principles, which ensure ingredients are used in a timely manner, reducing food waste and thus maintaining the quality and nutritional value of every meal served.

• Effluent Treatment Plants
We also use Effluent Treatment Plants (ETPs) to reuse water and reduce freshwater usage. The treated water is often used for gardening, cleaning vehicles and other cleaning purposes.

Bring Your Power into Action This Earth Day

There are many ways in which you can contribute to reviving the Earth. Plant a tree, volunteer in cleaning natural resources like rivers, beaches or natural tourist spots, use public transport to reduce carbon emissions or use eco-friendly products.

Along with your individual contributions, multiply your impact by supporting Akshaya Patra’s cause. When you donate online to serve mid-day meals, you are also doing a world of good for the earth through our sustainable practices. Together, let’s make an impact, both on children and the Earth we all live on.

A much-awaited festival celebrated across the country is here – Makar Sankranti. Although mostly celebrated in villages, the cities are also abuzz during this festival. In the heap of fruits, flowers and groundnuts on the bustling streets and main roads, we can see this festive fervour. Though the burgeoning cities have taken away the calmness that villages hold, certain things stay unchanged… certain traditions lie deep within.

Different Names. Same Festive Spirit

Dedicated to Lord Surya, this Harvest Festival sees families coming together to express gratitude for the blessings they received in the past year and pray for a prosperous one ahead. It is celebrated in different names in different regions. For instance, in Tamil Nadu, it is Pongal, in Kerala, Makaravilakku; in Andhra Pradesh, Peddha Panduga; Makar Sankranti in Maharashtra and Goa; Uttarayana in Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh, Maghi Sangrand in Punjab and many more. Though the core festive spirit remains the same, each region has its own rituals, traditional food and cultural richness.

Unlike many Hindu festivals that follow the lunar calendar, Makar Sankranti is based on the solar calendar, marking the Sun’s journey from south to north. Beyond its cultural and regional variations, Makar Sankranti also holds deep spiritual significance in Indian mythology. In the Mahabharata, Bhishma Pitamaha, who had the boon of Ichha Mrityu (death at will), lay in the bed of arrows for six months, wounded, waiting for the Uttarayan period to leave his body. This is another example that shows the auspiciousness of this time, inspiring us to perform good deeds and spread positivity.

Feed Children. Donate on this Occasion

As Makar Sankranti marks the end of Malmaas, an inauspicious period in Panchang (the Hindu calendar), it is an ideal time to perform good deeds like feeding children. As the Sun moves north – the abode of Kubera, the god of wealth, it brings positivity and blessings, dispelling negativity from our lives.

On this festival of nature’s abundance, support Akshaya Patra’s school feeding efforts. As an organisation feeding nutritious meals to 2.35 million children every day, we rely on the generosity of people like you to continue this endeavour.

With a contribution of ₹1,500, you can feed a child on this Sankranti for an entire academic year. Your support helps children:

• Sit in class well-nourished
• Stay active and energetic
• Play and enjoy childhood
• Improve their attendance
• Perform well in academics

By participating in festival donations, you can bring hope, health, and happiness to thousands of children this Makar Sankranti.

This Makar Sankranti, let your generous side shine brightly as the rising sun. Make a Makar Sankranti Donation today and ensure that every child is well-fed in kindness.