NewsVoir
Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], October 1: The Akshaya Patra Foundation (TAPF) inaugurated its 5th kitchen in Chikkajala, Bengaluru, today. This marks the 75th centralised kitchen across PAN India. This marks a monumental milestone with the inauguration of the transformative kitchen facility with the support of the Thakkar Family Foundation. Strategically located, this kitchen will cater to schools in Yelahanka, Jakkur, Hebbal and surrounding areas, providing over 35,000 wholesome hot, nutritious mid-day meals to over 200 government and government-aided schools with adherence to a 4-hour cook-to-consumption timeline. This initiative stands as a testament to the Foundation's commitment to innovation, community involvement and the greater good. The newly launched kitchen in Bengaluru marks its 5th location in the city, bolstering the company's commitment to growth and expanded service capabilities.
NR Narayana Murthy, Founder, Infosys Ltd. said, "I express immense gratitude to the Thakkar family and the Government of Karnataka for their significant support towards this cause. It is truly inspiring to be at an event dedicated to giving hope to India's underprivileged children. The Thakkar family's contribution to this kitchen is an embodiment of hope and faith. Education flourishes only when children have access to nutritious food, which is the core belief of the Akshaya Patra Foundation. Thanks to the Government of Karnataka covering 55-56% of meal costs, The Akshaya Patra Foundation has been able to successfully feed 2.25 million children across 24,000 government and government-aided schools in rural and remote areas. It is commendable to see The Akshaya Patra Foundation's commitment to provide balanced meals to students, ensuring that every child is nourished and empowered. Together, we can transform lives and build a brighter future for all."
Madhu Pandit Dasa, Founder - Chairman, The Akshaya Patra Foundation, said, "At the very outset, I want to thank the Government of Karnataka for the opportunity to serve the children of our state. Their continued support through grants and subsidies and the opportunity to serve as an implementing partner of the visionary project of the Chief Minister 'Ksheera Bhagya' programme to provide milk have been pivotal to our efforts to ensure that children do not have to choose between education and food." Acknowledging the support, he said, "Our association with the Government of Karnataka started in 2003 and I can proudly say that it has only strengthened with time. Their valuable support enables us to serve over 4.5 lakh children across 3,000+ government and government-aided schools in the state. Since its inception, Akshaya Patra has served nearly 1.2 billion mid-day meals in Karnataka." He further said, "We are immensely grateful to our Hon'ble Minister of Revenue, Krishna Byre Gowda, for taking time off from his busy schedule to be with us here today on this auspicious occasion. He has always been a strong pillar of support for our initiatives across the state. It has always been our endeavour to serve society while ensuring sustainability. In Karnataka, we currently feed across Bengaluru, Hubballi, Ballari, Mangaluru and Mysuru, through our nine centralised kitchens. I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to Mr Janardan Thakkar and Ms Linda Thakkar for their invaluable support in this endeavour. This partnership has played a crucial role in ensuring the sustainability that is integral to our efforts."
Akshaya Patra's newly inaugurated Chikkajala kitchen has a built-up area of 30,000 sq.ft., and is equipped with state-of-the-art gravity-flow infrastructure. It has an 80 KWp-capacity solar plant contributing to increased energy efficiency and sustainability. Similarly, the facility features Effluent Treatment Plant, the 70KLD ETP uses advanced filtration and treatment processes; 2-ton briquette boilers to generate high-efficiency steam for cooking, thus reducing dependence on fossil fuels and lowering carbon emissions. The kitchen also includes a dedicated 2KLPH milk reconstitution plant under the 'Ksheera Bhagya' scheme, with automated batch controls of a production of 3,500 ltrs.
Krishna Byre Gowda, Hon'ble Minister of Revenue, Government of Karnataka; N R Narayana Murthy, Founder - Infosys Ltd, and Jyotindra Thakkar, CIO - Reliance Ltd, graced this occasion. On behalf of Akshaya Patra, Madhu Pandit Dasa, Founder-Chairman, and Chanchalapathi Dasa, Co-founder & Vice-Chairman and Shridhar Venkat, CEO were present. The event was presided by patron donors Janardan Thakkar, Chairman, and Ms. Linda Thakkar, Vice-Chairman of the Thakkar Family Foundation.
"I am deeply grateful to Akshaya Patra for their remarkable work and want to congratulate them for setting up this new kitchen, which is going to serve 35,000 children everyday. On behalf of the Government of Karnataka, I thank Akshaya Patra and the Thakkar Family from the bottom of my heart. The widening disparity between the rich and poor in India is alarming, and we cannot afford to ignore it. If we continue to bury our heads in the sand, it will lead to our own peril. Thankfully, individuals like Janardhan Thakkar and Narayan Murthy have stepped up to do their part in addressing the injustice and inequality in our society. Their efforts show us that a small contribution can make a big difference. I sincerely hope more materially wealthy individuals will follow their example and reinvest their wealth back into society so that our nation can grow and evolve into a better India. We owe a debt of gratitude to the Thakkars for supporting Akshaya Patra and its vital mission," said Krishna Byre Gowda, Hon'ble Minister of Revenue, Government of Karnataka.
Post the inauguration ceremony, the dignitaries were taken on a tour of the kitchen facility. All the dignitaries unequivocally commended Akshaya Patra's efforts to address classroom hunger and malnutrition in India through its network of kitchens and assured their support and encouragement.
Janardan Thakkar, Chairman, Thakkar Ltd. said, "We believe that feeding and educating children is the foundation for a brighter future. Without proper nutrition, a child cannot focus on learning. It is our commitment to ensure that every child is healthy in both body and mind. We are deeply honoured to associate with Akshaya Patra, a beacon of hope for the past 24 years, as it prepares to serve its 5th billion meal. The food provided is safe, nutritious, and abundant, ensuring children can eat as much as they need. Our family is also dedicated to rebuilding schools in Karnataka, with invaluable support from the government, and we have requested Akshaya Patra's assistance in building a kitchen at the school. Together, let us nourish not only their bodies but also their dreams, equipping them to realize their full potential. A heartfelt thanks to all donors and supporters for contributing to Akshaya Patra's mission."
As is the practice, Akshaya Patra's mid-day meals for Chikkajala, Bengaluru, are customised to suit the local palate so that they are not just nutritious, but also delicious. The menu includes vegetable pulav, bisibele bath, masala vegetable upma, rice, green leafy sambar, mixed pulses, vegetable sambar, tomato rasam, fried poha + avalaki and to the delightful sweetness, wheat kesari bath (or) vermicelli payasam (or) moong dal payasam.
This ambitious project is more than just a facility; it is a reflection of The Akshaya Patra Foundation's enduring commitment to nurturing young minds. It symbolises our collective effort in fostering community participation, promoting healthy eating habits and advancing sustainable practices in our journey towards a brighter, more nourishing future.
The Akshaya Patra Foundation is a not-for-profit organisation that strives to address classroom hunger and malnutrition in India. By implementing the PM POSHAN Scheme in government and government-aided schools, Akshaya Patra aims to fight hunger and, at the same time, bring children to school. Since 2000, Akshaya Patra has worked towards reaching out to children with wholesome food every single school day. The Foundation is continuously leveraging technology to cater to millions of children. Its state-of-the-art kitchens have become a subject of study and attract curious visitors from around the world.
As an implementing partner of the PM POSHAN with support of the Government of India and various State Governments, Akshaya Patra has grown from humble beginnings serving just 1,500 school children across five schools to becoming one of the largest (not-for-profit run) school feeding programme, serving wholesome food to over 2.2 million children from 23,000+ schools across 16 states and 2 union territories in India.
For more details, please log on: www.akshayapatra.org.
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