10 Things to Know About Akshaya Patra in Karnataka

Currently spread across 10 states in India, The Akshaya Patra Foundation (TAPF), an NGO which runs the world’s largest mid-day meal programme, had humble beginnings in Bengaluru, Karnataka. Here’s how its presence in the state grew and strengthened.

1. Akshaya Patra was launched in Namma Bengaluru, Karnataka, in the year 2000, inspired by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada’s vow that no one within a 10-mile radius of his centre should go hungry.

2. The organisation had a modest start, serving free, healthy and nutritious mid-day meals to the schoolchildren of five government schools in Bengaluru initially. 

3. The road towards feeding children in the state was a rocky one in the early days. However, support arrived in the form of T.V. Mohandas Pa, former member of the Board of Directors of Infosys and currently, the Chairman of Manipal Global Education Services, who donated the first vehicle for transporting cooked food to schools.

4. By 2004, Akshaya Patra had established itself as a formidable NGO in Karnataka and catered to the mid-day meal needs of children in the cities of Hubballi, Mangaluru and Mysuru. In 2006, this charity for children also had a kitchen in Ballari. 

5. Akshaya Patra prepares its tasty and wholesome mid-day meals in its kitchens in Karnataka, where the staff follows a strict protocol for maintaining hygiene. They wear hair caps, face masks, gloves, gum boots and other protective gear, along with showering daily and washing their hands regularly.

6. Four of Akshaya Patra’s kitchens in Karnataka are International Organization for Standardization –certified (ISO). These kitchens are – the HK Hill kitchen and Vasanthapura kitchen in Bengaluru, along with the ones in Ballari and Hubballi.

7. The Karnataka kitchens of Akshaya Patra are all centralised kitchens that are able to produce up to one million meals. They utilise minimal human intervention, as they are mechanised cooking units.

8. Karnataka has the highest number of Akshaya Patra’s beneficiaries. In Bengaluru, the HK Hill kitchen feeds 92,856 children in 466 schools, while the Vasanthapura kitchen feeds 101,635 children in 534 schools. The Hubballi kitchen cooks mid-day meals for 149,573 children in 789 schools; the Mangaluru kitchen prepares meals for 22,602 children in 147 schools, while the Mysuru kitchen feeds 16,668 schoolchildren in 66 schools. The Ballari kitchen cooks meals for 126,382 children in 534 schools. 

9. Numerous dignitaries have visited Akshaya Patra’s kitchens in Karnataka. These include former Indian President, the late APJ Abdul Kalam; Nobel laureate Muhammed Yunus, musicians Sona Mohapatra and Ram Sampath, among others.

10. Akshaya Patra’s pilot initiative, Giving Every Dream A Chance, where The Foundation makes the dreams of school children come true by organising a month-long mentorship programme for them, was launched in Karnataka.

Giving – A Hallmark of the Extraordinary

In these times of fast cars and faster jobs, a sense of forlornly meandering through a mindless existence often sets in. Leisure, pleasure and privilege often find themselves helpless against this undercurrent. One thing, done in however small a quantity, that always warms the spirit and lifts it, is the act of giving. Those who feed the hungry or donate to charity, offering financial aid or time and resources, will vouch for the exhilaration they feel upon making worthy contributions. Giving undoubtedly makes one an extraordinary individual – in their own eyes as well as in the eyes of others.

One might scoff at the surety with which the statement has been articulated, but there are numerous reasons why it stands true. Firstly, one’s self-image is of paramount importance. Ironic though it is, giving enhances one’s self-worth because the act puts others before oneself. In a world that believes that individuals are wired to be selfish, doing something truly selfless makes one remarkable indeed. Secondly, with the suffering, wealth disparity and wars that are a common fixture, the smallest measure, be it charity fundraising or sponsoring the education of an underprivileged child, matters in making the world a kinder place.

Charity is also a mutually beneficial relationship for all those involved in the exchange. It helps one connect with individuals who are in a vastly different place in life as compared to themselves. This gives one the power that is rare indeed – one to empathise with one’s fellow beings, rather than just sympathise with them. Empathy – the ability to truly understand the other person by putting oneself in his/her shoes – is a hallmark of a mind that has grown and evolved. It allows one to be humane, instead of just human.

In the age of materialism, giving also helps one manage its stresses and uncertainties by nudging one towards the spiritual. Spiritual wellbeing is as important as material success. Giving, which helps one look beyond oneself to the oneness of the universe, is a spiritual activity that helps individuals love and be at peace with themselves. The greatest minds in the world have all extolled the benefits of charity, and now, scientific research backs these ideas, which go back thousands of years. Giving, in its essence, is a way towards self-realisation.

Help nourish a schoolchild’s dream of uninterrupted education by supporting Food for Education. Donate to Akshaya Patra for mid-day meal programme now!

NetApp and Akshaya Patra Join Hands

On July 12, 2016, The Akshaya Patra Foundation, an NGO in India welcomed NetApp to its VK Hill kitchen in Bengaluru to recognise their corporate-NGO partnership.

NetApp, a multinational data storage and cloud solutions company, donated insulated vessels along with other items to Akshaya Patra to facilitate operations. The event on Tuesday commenced with lighting of the lamp and a tour of the Vasanthpura kitchen facility. Apart from NGO donations, nearly 40 volunteers from NetApp visit Akshaya Patra on a monthly basis and contribute towards pre-processing activities in the kitchen. Volunteers spend the day cleaning cauldrons and vessels, segregating pulses, and dehusking coconuts.

NetApp employees visited Kaggalipura High School in Bengaluru on the same day and shared mid-day meals with over 400 students. During the visit, the beneficiary children received many chocolates and stationery kits which elated their mood. “It was an unbelievable experience to see what it takes to do. We are glad to be associated with Akshaya Patra and would like to go a long way and lend support in all possible ways,” said Deepak Visweswaraiah – VP Engineering and Managing Director, NetApp India.

Harish Arora - VP, NB ONTAP Engineering and Sonali De Sarker - Director, Human Resources were highly impressed with the food safety methodology and hygiene which are a priority in all Akshaya Patra’s kitchens. A first-time volunteer, Srinivas BK said, “Seeing the smiles on their faces made my day.” Other volunteers shared similar insights and described their experience as unique, satisfying and fulfilling. 

After a vote of thanks by Vinay N Kumar, Director – Operations and Sundeep Talwar, Chief Marketing Officer on behalf of Akshaya Patra, the meaningful event was closed. The Foundation is thankful to NetApp for their contribution towards the mid-day meal programme and looks forward to building a hunger-free nation by feeding the future. 

Source: www.akshayapatra.org/events/netapp-partners-with-akshaya-patra

School lunch in Namma Karnataka by Akshaya Patra

Bengaluru, the city where it all began. In 2000, Akshaya Patra, an NGO in Karnataka, started serving mid-day meals to 1500 government school children in Bengaluru with an aim to end classroom hunger. The journey has been ceaseless.

With a flourishing quality education, Karnataka is among many other states that require attention towards reducing classroom hunger. We believe that quality education without basic necessities such as nutritional food for students is of no value at all. When mid-day meal in Karnataka became operational, many schools saw an increase in school attendance. State Hunger Index report, 2008, shows how hunger is still persistent across India and Karnataka, among many other states, falls in alarming category.

In 2003, the Government of Karnataka invited The Foundation to partner with them to implement Mid-Day Meal Scheme across the state. They have also helped the Central Government in implementing the programme across the nation. Akshaya Patra, an NGO in Karnataka receives sufficient aid from the State Government and from donors as well.

Here’s a quick look at certain aspects of Akshaya Patra’s presence in Karnataka:

1. Highest Beneficiary Base: The mid-day meal programme in Karnataka is currently available to 463,682 children across 2,629 schools which make the state the highest in terms of beneficiary base. When Akshaya Patra began its journey, the number of children who received hot and freshly cooked meals was only 1500. In 16 years, our beneficiary base has increased by 300 times.

2. Four ISO Kitchens: Akshaya Patra’s kitchens are an ideal example of quality. Centralised kitchens are automated and ensure 100% hygiene during the cooking process. All the six kitchens in Karnataka are centralised, with four of these having received ISO certification. All centralised kitchens have the capacity to cook up to 100,000 meals every day. The beneficiary schools are located around the unit to benefit from these kitchens.

3. Nourishing uncommon dreams: In 2016 a pilot initiative called ‘Giving Every Dream a Chance’ was launched. Through this programme, students will receive mentorship in the field of their career interests. For the pilot launch, three students from Bengaluru were selected as a part of this initiative and were mentored by renowned organisations which witnessed a huge success. Shekar, for instance, is a 14-year-old student who aspires to be a chef, was trained under Vivanta by Taj. You can view the inspiring videos here.

It is also The Akshaya Patra Foundation’s mission to target 5 million children by 2020 and ensure that these children are able to concentrate better in classrooms. Although there has been a huge success, we believe it is still a long way to go before we can experience hunger-free India. You can join Akshaya Patra in raising awareness about the programme as well as contributing to the cause. All it takes is Rs. 750 to feed a school going child and you can help us too.

Read on to know more about our work, how you can get involved or donate to charity. Yes, there’s 100% tax exemption when you donate to Akshaya Patra.

Press Coverage of The Akshaya Patra Foundation

Akshaya Patra Press Coverage is updated with the latest media releases and interesting news about the organisation. The Foundation works towards curbing classroom hunger and enhancing school enrolment by providing mid-day meals to more than 1.5 million school children in India. The article clippings in the news center are listed chronologically and can also be viewed by selecting a timeline. The news coverage can also be shared on social media sites.

Akshaya Patra is thankful to the press for creating awareness about the cause and for providing positive exposure in the press coverage.