The Akshaya Patra Foundation, NGO in India, runs one of the worlds largest mid day meal program. We distribute freshly cooked, healthy meals daily to 1.3 million underprivileged children in 9,000 government schools through 20 kitchens in 10 states across India. Built on a public-private partnership, Akshaya Patra combines good management, innovative technology and smart engineering to deliver school lunch at a minimal cost.
The program started in 2000 by feeding 1,500 children from a temporary kitchen in Bangalore, India; which has grown in length and breadth and come a long way to a day when we serve over a billion meals.
Akshaya Patra partnered with the Karnataka government in 2003 to act as one of the implementing arms of the government in many regions. It now works with central and state governments in 10 states viz… Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Chattisgarh, Gujarat, New Delhi, Orissa, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh
It costs Rs. 675 to feed a child daily for the entire school year due to government subsidy and provision of grains. For many of the children this is their only complete meal for the day. This gives them an incentive to come to school, stay in school and provides them with the necessary nutrients becoming food for education.
