12th December, 2025 (Vrindavan Today News): This journey began in Bengaluru by providing meals to just 1,500 children studying in five government schools. Today, Akshaya Patra is counted among the world’s largest school–meal programmes. At present, it provides nutritious and hot mid-day meals every day to nearly 2.4 million children across 16 states and three union territories. Not only schools, but thousands of anganwadis also receive its services.
In 25 years, the Foundation has served more than four billion meals—a number almost two-and-a-half times the population of India. With 78 modern kitchens, of which 47 are ISO-certified, and a network reaching 23,978 schools, its scale is an achievement in itself.
In 2001, the Supreme Court made it mandatory for schools across India to serve cooked mid-day meals. The Public Interest Litigation filed in the Court argued that while tonnes of grain were rotting in the warehouses of the Food Corporation of India, the same could be used to feed school children. Following this order, the Mid-Day Meal Scheme gained nationwide momentum and was later renamed the Pradhan Mantri Poshan Programme. Akshaya Patra soon emerged as its most trusted partner.
Government mid-day meal schemes often face allegations of corruption and poor food quality. However, the schools and anganwadis served by Akshaya Patra report almost no such complaints. The main reason is its fully mechanised and hygienic kitchen system. From kneading dough and cooking dal to washing rice, cutting vegetables, and packing the meals, most processes are machine-operated, ensuring safety and cleanliness. The meals are transported in advanced air-conditioned vehicles, which preserve their quality. The menu changes daily to offer variety and nutrition, and it is prepared keeping in mind regional culture and dietary needs. As a result, both nutritional levels and school attendance among children have shown improvement.
The Foundation does not rely solely on government grants. Thousands of donors strengthen its mission. Their contributions help maintain the quality, diversity, and nutritional value of the food—one of the key reasons behind the organisation’s credibility. Due to its high standards, IRCTC partnered with Akshaya Patra this year to provide meals to passengers on select routes and stations. This service may soon expand to more locations.
Since September this year, Akshaya Patra has also begun supplying meals to schools in Kanpur. And from 1st December onward, it has taken responsibility for providing daily meals to more than 850 anganwadis in Mathura district.
The growing reputation of Akshaya Patra can be understood from the fact that almost every public representative wants the children in their constituency to receive food from this Foundation. But Akshaya Patra is completely non-profit. It seeks no financial gain. Its limitations are clear—its expansion depends solely on the resources available. A representative of the organisation says, “For us, feeding every child is a mission, not a business. If donors come forward, we will reach every place where children arrive at school on an empty stomach.”
Akshaya Patra has proved that hunger is not a natural destiny but a problem that can be solved through human effort. A child who receives nutritious food develops better interest in studies and performs better. In 25 years, the Foundation has created a legacy in strengthening India’s younger generation—one that has no parallel in the world. This mission of fighting hunger and illuminating education continues even today, every single day.
