There were days when poor students would go to Teachers house to have “Varanna” in which the students would be fed once in a week. On a rotation, the student would go to different teacher’s house and other rich people in the locality. Now, many of them have grown and have a respectable position in the society.
This clearly shows the relationship between the food and the education. The best a society can offer a child is the education; because once the child is educated they become a responsible citizen of this country. To provide a good education, the child should not be hungry. This is precisely the reasons why I wanted to voluntary “Akshaya Patra Foundation”.
When I first met the Akshaya Patra team, I was surprised to know they are using the latest Management concepts, statutory disclosures etc. There method of analysis, brain storming sessions was amazing. For me, I am trying to put the experience of my work (Strategic Planning) to Akshaya Patra and it turn take their best practices and implement in my company. It is a win- win situation for me.
The message I would like to give for other volunteers are, give the best of your knowledge, time, and experience to Akshaya Patra and in turn learn the dedication, hard work, practices from the Akshaya Patra. This is very unique because you can share and learn as well.

Rajasthan, the nation’s largest state, has long been considered one of India’s brightest jewels. Adorned with a rich, vibrant cultural history and beautiful landscape, it is one of the most favored tourist destinations of the country. With parts of the Indus Valley Civilization located in Rajasthan, it is considered the cradle of India’s birth.

However, Rajasthan’s glorious past is in stark contrast to the reality it faces today. The state is continually hit with severe drought that cripples the thousands of people in the region who survive on agriculture. In fact, in the last 100 years, it has been hit with 84 droughts.

This year again, the Government of Rajasthan has declared ‘Akal’ or drought in the Nathdwara district of the state. In October of 2002 when it last faced such a situation, nearly 40 million people were affected and 50 million livestock suffered. With so many severe situations constantly recurring, the State Government of Rajasthan has taken various steps to bring relief to the area. It is working with the United Nations Development Program to strengthen its co-ordination systems and revive traditional water harvesting structures. Many other organizations are also involved in Rajasthan’s efforts to combat the problems being faced.

Akshaya Patra is one such organization. On the request of the State Government of Rajasthan, our kitchen in Nathdwara is now functioning around the year to provide food for drought-affected children in the area. By doing so, we hope to bring relief and provide any help we can to the beautiful and charming people of Rajasthan.

Source: United Nations Development Program