A wholesome meal is important for a child’s overall development. It helps a child become smart and aspire high. The Akshaya Patra Foundation understood the need for a healthy meal. Since the year 2000, the Foundation has been serving children in Government and Government-aided schools. Akshaya Patra currently serves over 1.6 million children in 13,800+ schools across 12 states of India. Its school lunch programme, the largest such NGO-operated initiative in the world, is implemented with the support of the Government of India and various State Governments.

Akshaya Patra receives support from many philanthropists and eminent public figures.

Mr SS Rajamouli and Shobu Yarlagadda – makers of blockbusterfilm Bahubali

The producer, Mr Shobu Yarlagadda and director, Mr SS Rajamouli of the award-winning film Bahubali took a tour of our Narsingi kitchen on December 11, 2017. They were impressed by the entire process, scale, efficiency and dedication with which the meals are prepared and delivered hot to children. The kitchen at Narsingi serves over 65,000 school children.

Professor Muhammad Yunus, Nobel Laureate, Founder of Grameen Bank

Professor Muhammad Yunus, Nobel Laureate, Founder of Grameen Bank, visited Akshaya Patra’s Hubballi kitchen on 7 February, 2016. He was accompanied by Mr Anousheh Ansari, Co-founder, Chairwoman and CEO of Prodea Systems and Dr ‘Desh’ Deshpande of the Deshpande Foundation along with others.

Visibly impressed by the efforts of the Foundation to cater meals to thousands of students, Professor Yunus said, “This has been a great visit and it is wonderful to see how Akshaya Patra is reaching out to children in a huge way and addressing malnutrition for India’s children.”

He also lauded Akshaya Patra’s meals and said “children love the meals that is served to them”.

Mr Bill Clinton, Ex-President of the United States of America

On July 17, 2014, Mr Bill Clinton, former President of the United States, visited The Akshaya Patra Foundation in Jaipur, Rajasthan, and went to a beneficiary school thereafter. Mr Clinton was very appreciative of Akshaya Patra’s work and was awed by the functioning of the roti maker machine.
The students were thrilled to meet the Former President and talk to him. Some of the interaction with the students left him emotionally touched. The excited students also demonstrated some of their whiz-tricks in Mathematics. A cultural programme was held in Mr Clinton’s honour; he was delighted to watch it.

His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet

We were honored to have His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet visit our Foundation in July in Bengaluru, Karnataka. During his visit, he served meals to Akshaya Patra’s beneficiary children.
He said, “I appreciate and express my gratitude for your real and benevolent practice, which is rooted in the fundamental spiritual principle of compassion, especially by helping the young children who are facing challenges in their physical and mental upbringing. I pray that you would continue your generous help to young and old people as long as their difficulties persist”.

Gulam Ali, Pakistani ghazal singer

Gulam Ali, renowned Pakistani ghazal singer, had a meal with the beneficiary children of Akshaya Patra in Bengaluru. The Ustad called it one of the happiest occasions of his life. “This is one of the best such programmes that I have ever seen, with thousands of children benefiting,” he expressed.

Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, former President of India

Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, the former President of India, paid a visit to The Akshaya Patra Foundation in Bengaluru. “When I entered the divine, beautiful temple, I turned to Swami Madhu Pandit Dasa and appreciated his power to spread the message and particularly giving food under the Akshaya Patra programme”, said Dr Kalam.

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.