The​ ​Akshaya​ ​Patra​ ​Foundation-​ ​A​ ​Case​ ​Study

In​ ​2000,​ ​The​ ​Akshaya​ ​Patra​ ​Foundation​ ​had​ ​set​ ​out​ ​on​ ​an​ ​unchartered​ ​journey.​ ​We​ ​neither​ ​had
any​ ​strategy​ ​nor​ ​did​ ​we​ ​have​ ​any​ ​idea​ ​of​ ​how​ ​far​ ​we​ ​could​ ​go.​ ​We​ ​still​ ​remember​ ​the​ ​day​ ​when
we​ ​took​ ​the​ ​first​ ​meal​ ​to​ ​a​ ​government​ ​school.​ ​The​ ​children​ ​loved​ ​it.​ ​We​ ​did​ ​not​ ​believe​ ​that​ ​we
would​ ​go​ ​with​ ​food​ ​the​ ​next​ ​day​ ​as​ ​well,​ ​but​ ​we​ ​did​ ​and​ ​now​ ​we​ ​have​ ​been​ ​doing​ ​this​ ​for​ ​the
past​ ​seventeen​ ​years.
Genesis
The​ ​Akshaya​ ​Patra​ ​Foundation​ ​was​ ​our​ ​first​ ​foray​ ​into​ ​establishing​ ​an​ ​organisation​ ​that​ ​would
specifically​ ​work​ ​for​ ​the​ ​underserved​ ​children​ ​in​ ​India.​ ​For​ ​whom​ ​hunger​ ​is​ ​an​ ​impediment​ ​to
education.​ ​We​ ​were​ ​of​ ​the​ ​thought;​ ​anyway​ ​we​ ​are​ ​feeding​ ​people​ (​ Annadanam)​ ​who​ ​would
come​ ​to​ ​visit​ ​the​ ​ISKCON​ ​temple,​ ​then​ ​why​ ​not​ ​specifically​ ​feed​ ​the​ ​underprivileged​ ​school
children​ ​in​ ​and​ ​around​ ​this​ ​area.​ ​This​ ​would​ ​not​ ​only​ ​feed​ ​children​ ​in​ ​need​ ​but​ ​will​ ​also​ ​boost
education​ ​levels​ ​within​ ​communities​ ​by​ ​ensuring​ ​higher​ ​levels​ ​of​ ​retention.​ ​We​ ​thought​ ​why​ ​not
use​ ​the​ ​underutilised​ ​temple​ ​kitchens​ ​for​ ​feeding​ ​the​ ​school​ ​children.
Our​ ​objective​ ​was​ ​to​ ​ensure​ ​that​ ​‘no​ ​child​ ​in​ ​India​ ​shall​ ​be​ ​deprived​ ​of​ ​education​ ​because​ ​of
hunger.’​ ​With​ ​this​ ​solemn​ ​thought​ ​in​ ​mind​ ​we​ ​started​ ​our​ ​pilot​ ​project​ ​by​ ​serving​ ​mid-day​ ​meals
to​ ​1,500​ ​children​ ​across​ ​five​ ​Government​ ​schools​ ​in​ ​Bangalore.
Witnessing​ ​this​ ​overwhelming​ ​response,​ ​we​ ​set​ ​ourselves​ ​on​ ​a​ ​challenging​ ​goal​ ​of​ ​feeding​ ​1
million​ ​children​ ​within​ ​10​ ​years​ ​and​ ​we​ ​knew​ ​that​ ​this​ ​could​ ​translate​ ​into​ ​reality​ ​if​ ​the​ ​society​ ​as
a​ ​whole​ ​would​ ​use​ ​some​ ​of​ ​its​ ​resources​ ​and​ ​extend​ ​its​ ​support​ ​to​ ​the​ ​cause.
The​ ​unflinching​ ​support​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Government,​ ​along​ ​with​ ​collaborations​ ​and​ ​support​ ​from
philanthropic​ ​organisations,​ ​corporates​ ​and​ ​conscientious​ ​individuals​ ​have​ ​really​ ​helped​ ​us​ ​to
scale​ ​our​ ​feeding​ ​programme​ ​pan​ ​India.
Our​ ​Vision

‘No​ ​child​ ​in​ ​India​ ​shall​ ​be​ ​deprived​ ​of​ ​education​ ​because​ ​of​ ​hunger’

Our​ ​Reach
Today​ ​Akshaya​ ​Patra​ ​reaches​ ​out​ ​to​ ​16,​ ​61,067​ ​children​ ​in​ ​30​ ​locations​ ​across​ ​12​ ​states​ ​of
India,​ ​providing​ ​them​ ​with​ ​freshly​ ​cooked​ ​meal​ ​on​ ​all​ ​school​ ​days.​ ​Currently,​ ​we​ ​implement​ ​the
mid-day​ ​meal​ ​programme​ ​in​ ​13,808​ ​schools​ ​of​ ​the​ ​country,​ ​with​ ​a​ ​mission​ ‘​ to​ ​feed​ ​5​ ​million
children​ ​by​ ​2020.’
Overcoming​ ​Challenges
From​ ​the​ ​first​ ​mile​ ​we​ ​travelled​ ​to​ ​where​ ​we​ ​are​ ​today,​ ​we​ ​have​ ​faced​ ​myriad​ ​challenges.​ ​As​ ​we
grew,​ ​so​ ​did​ ​our​ ​need​ ​for​ ​technology,​ ​resources,​ ​manpower​ ​and​ ​an​ ​ability​ ​to​ ​understand​ ​and
work​ ​with​ ​our​ ​stakeholders.​ ​But​ ​we​ ​did​ ​not​ ​get​ ​overwhelmed​ ​by​ ​these​ ​challenges;​ ​we​ ​worked
together​ ​with​ ​greater​ ​enthusiasm​ ​and​ ​efficiency​ ​to​ ​grapple​ ​with​ ​them​ ​because​ ​we​ ​could​ ​see​ ​the
difference​ ​our​ ​meals​ ​were​ ​making​ ​to​ ​the​ ​children.
Whether​ ​it​ ​was​ ​sourcing​ ​a​ ​roti-making​ ​machine​ ​to​ ​churn​ ​out​ ​60,000​ r​ otis​ ​or​ ​cauldrons​ ​to​ ​cook
large​ ​quantities​ ​of​ ​daal​ ​or​ ​rice,​ ​we​ ​spent​ ​hours​ ​putting​ ​our​ ​energies​ ​together;​ ​we​ ​became​ ​the
inventors,​ ​as​ ​most​ ​of​ ​the​ ​technology​ ​that​ ​we​ ​use​ ​in​ ​our​ ​kitchens​ ​is​ ​indigenously​ ​designed.
Moreover,​ ​our​ ​team​ ​worked​ ​closely​ ​with​ ​industry​ ​experts​ ​to​ ​innovate,​ ​adapt​ ​and​ ​perfect​ ​kitchen
operations​ ​to​ ​ensure​ ​safe​ ​and​ ​hygienic​ ​meals​ ​to​ ​all​ ​our​ ​beneficiaries​ ​across​ ​the​ ​country.​ ​There
is​ ​no​ ​doubt​ ​that​ ​along​ ​the​ ​way​ ​we​ ​have​ ​made​ ​mistakes,​ ​but​ ​each​ ​mistake​ ​has​ ​just​ ​made​ ​us
stronger​ ​and​ ​richer​ ​in​ ​experience.​ ​We​ ​have​ ​learnt​ ​to​ ​embrace​ ​risks​ ​and​ ​sustain​ ​our​ ​feeding
programme,​ ​amidst​ ​evolving​ ​beneficiary​ ​needs.
About​ ​the​ ​Mid​ ​–​ ​Day​ ​Meal​ ​Scheme
Mid-Day​ ​Meal​ ​in​ ​schools​ ​has​ ​had​ ​a​ ​long​ ​history​ ​in​ ​India.​ ​In​ ​1925,​ ​a​ ​Mid-Day​ ​Meal​ ​Programme
was​ ​introduced​ ​for​ ​disadvantaged​ ​children​ ​in​ ​Madras​ ​Municipal​ ​Corporation.​ ​By​ ​the​ ​mid-1980s
three​ ​States​ ​viz.​ ​Gujarat,​ ​Kerala​ ​and​ ​Tamil​ ​Nadu​ ​and​ ​the​ ​UT​ ​of​ ​Pondicherry​ ​had​ ​universalized​ ​a
cooked​ ​Mid-Day​ ​Meal​ ​Programme​ ​with​ ​their​ ​own​ ​resources​ ​for​ ​children​ ​studying​ ​at​ ​the​ ​primary
stage​ ​by​ ​1990-91​ ​the​ ​number​ ​of​ ​States​ ​implementing​ ​the​ ​mid-day​ ​meal​ ​programme​ ​with​ ​their
own​ ​resources​ ​on​ ​a​ ​universal​ ​or​ ​a​ ​large​ ​scale​ ​had​ ​increased​ ​to​ ​twelve​ ​states.
With​ ​a​ ​view​ ​to​ ​enhancing​ ​enrollment,​ ​retention​ ​and​ ​attendance​ ​and​ ​simultaneously​ ​improving
nutritional​ ​levels​ ​among​ ​children,​ ​the​ ​National​ ​Programme​ ​of​ ​Nutritional​ ​Support​ ​to​ ​Primary
Education​ ​(NP-NSPE)​ ​was​ ​launched​ ​as​ ​a​ ​Centrally​ ​Sponsored​ ​Scheme​ ​on​ ​15th​ ​August​ ​1995,
initially​ ​in​ ​2408​ ​blocks​ ​in​ ​the​ ​country.​ ​By​ ​the​ ​year​ ​1997-98​ ​the​ ​NP-NSPE​ ​was​ ​introduced​ ​in​ ​all
blocks​ ​of​ ​the​ ​country.​ ​It​ ​was​ ​further​ ​extended​ ​in​ ​2002​ ​to​ ​cover​ ​not​ ​only​ ​children​ ​in​ ​classes​ ​I​ ​-V​ ​of
Government,​ ​Government​ ​aided​ ​and​ ​local​ ​body​ ​schools,​ ​but​ ​also​ ​children​ ​studying​ ​in​ ​EGS​ ​and
AIE​ ​centres.​ ​Central​ ​Assistance​ ​under​ ​the​ ​scheme​ ​consisted​ ​of​ ​free​ ​supply​ ​of​ ​food​ ​grains​ ​@
100​ ​grams​ ​per​ ​child​ ​per​ ​school​ ​day,​ ​and​ ​subsidy​ ​for​ ​transportation​ ​of​ ​food​ ​grains​ ​up​ ​to​ ​a
maximum​ ​of​ ​INR​ ​50​ ​per​ ​quintal.
In​ ​September​ ​2004​ ​the​ ​scheme​ ​was​ ​revised​ ​to​ ​provide​ ​cooked​ ​mid-day​ ​meal​ ​with​ ​300​ ​calories
and​ ​8-12​ ​grams​ ​of​ ​protein​ ​to​ ​all​ ​children​ ​studying​ ​in​ ​classes​ ​I​ ​–​ ​V​ ​in​ ​Government​ ​and​ ​aided
schools​ ​and​ ​EGS/​ ​AIE​ ​centres.
Objectives​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Mid-Day​ ​Meal​ ​Scheme
On​ ​August​ ​15,​ ​1995,​ ​National​ ​Programme​ ​of​ ​Nutritional​ ​Support​ ​to​ ​Primary​ ​Education
(NP-NSPE)​ ​was​ ​launched​ ​as​ ​a​ ​Centrally​ ​Sponsored​ ​Scheme​ ​and​ ​in​ ​the​ ​year​ ​2001,​ ​the
Supreme​ ​Court​ ​of​ ​India​ ​ordered​ ​all​ ​the​ ​state​ ​governments​ ​and​ ​union​ ​territories​ ​to​ ​implement
Mid-Day​ ​Meal​ ​Scheme​ ​and​ ​provide​ ​cooked​ ​meals​ ​to​ ​school​ ​children​ ​from​ ​Government​ ​and
Government-aided​ ​schools.
The​ ​objectives​ ​of​ ​the​ ​scheme​ ​are:
● Improve​ ​the​ ​effectiveness​ ​of​ ​primary​ ​education​ ​by​ ​improving​ ​the​ ​nutritional​ ​status​ ​of
children​ ​thereby​ ​reducing​ ​malnutrition.
● Attract​ ​children​ ​from​ ​disadvantaged​ ​sections,​ ​especially​ ​girls​ ​from​ ​Dalits​ ​and​ ​Adivasi
tribes​ ​to​ ​school,​ ​thereby​ ​increasing​ ​attendance,​ ​reducing​ ​dropout​ ​rates​ ​&​ ​promoting
women​ ​empowerment​ ​through​ ​literacy.
● Promote​ ​a​ ​feeling​ ​of​ ​oneness​ ​and​ ​secularism​ ​amongst​ ​various​ ​different​ ​religions​ ​and
cultures.
Role​ ​of​ ​NGOs
NGOs​ ​play​ ​an​ ​important​ ​role​ ​in​ ​the​ ​expansion​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Mid-Day​ ​Meal​ ​Scheme.​ ​The​ ​State
Governments​ ​partner​ ​with​ ​NGOs​ ​like​ ​The​ ​Akshaya​ ​Patra​ ​Foundation​ ​to​ ​implement​ ​the​ ​Mid-Day
Meal​ ​Programme​ ​in​ ​order​ ​to​ ​increase​ ​the​ ​number​ ​of​ ​children​ ​they​ ​reach​ ​out​ ​to.​ ​Thus​ ​many
NGOs​ ​work​ ​towards​ ​countering​ ​hunger​ ​and​ ​malnutrition.​ ​This​ ​Public-Private​ ​Partnership​ ​(PPP)
has​ ​proved​ ​instrumental​ ​in​ ​improving​ ​the​ ​quality​ ​and​ ​reach​ ​of​ ​the​ ​programme.
Advantages
The​ ​involvement​ ​of​ ​a​ ​number​ ​of​ ​private​ ​bodies​ ​in​ ​the​ ​implementation​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Mid-Day​ ​Meal
Scheme​ ​has​ ​resulted​ ​in​ ​the​ ​following:
● Nearly​ ​120​ ​million​ ​(12​ ​crore)​ ​children​ ​are​ ​so​ ​far​ ​covered​ ​under​ ​the​ ​scheme,​ ​making​ ​this
school​ ​lunch​ ​programme​ ​the​ ​largest​ ​in​ ​the​ ​world.​ ​The​ ​Government’s​ ​multi-faceted
approach​ ​has​ ​therefore​ ​shown​ ​tremendous​ ​results
● By​ ​leveraging​ ​the​ ​unique​ ​resources​ ​of​ ​organisations​ ​such​ ​as​ ​Akshaya​ ​Patra​ ​to​ ​act​ ​as​ ​its
implementing​ ​arm​ ​and​ ​making​ ​provisions​ ​for​ ​them​ ​to​ ​be​ ​as​ ​self-sufficient​ ​as​ ​possible,​ ​the
Government​ ​has​ ​successfully​ ​involved​ ​the​ ​entire​ ​society​ ​in​ ​helping​ ​the​ ​children​ ​of​ ​our
country.​ ​These​ ​foundations​ ​promote​ ​community​ ​participation​ ​through​ ​fundraising​ ​and
volunteering
● It​ ​has​ ​encouraged​ ​the​ ​private-public​ ​partnerships​ ​that​ ​have​ ​been​ ​instrumental​ ​in
ensuring​ ​success​ ​of​ ​the​ ​programme.​ ​With​ ​the​ ​aid​ ​of​ ​these​ ​organisations,​ ​the
Government​ ​has​ ​managed​ ​to​ ​scale​ ​the​ ​scheme​ ​to​ ​massive​ ​proportions
● The​ ​scheme​ ​has​ ​impacted​ ​children​ ​in​ ​many​ ​ways.​ ​Attendance​ ​has​ ​increased,​ ​classroom
hunger​ ​has​ ​reduced,​ ​malnutrition​ ​decreased​ ​and​ ​socialisation​ ​among​ ​children​ ​of​ ​all
castes​ ​improved
● On​ ​a​ ​global​ ​scale,​ ​the​ ​Indian​ ​Government​ ​has​ ​worked​ ​hard​ ​to​ ​meet​ ​the​ ​UN​ ​Sustainable
Development​ ​Goals
Problem​ ​Statement
Today,​ ​as​ ​we​ ​move​ ​steadily​ ​towards​ ​achieving​ ​our​ ​aspirational​ ​goal​ ​of​ ​‘feeding​ ​5​ ​million​ ​children
by​ ​2020’,​ ​we​ ​can​ ​see​ ​the​ ​path​ ​ahead​ ​more​ ​clearly​ ​than​ ​we​ ​did​ ​in​ ​the​ ​beginning​ ​but​ ​just​ ​as​ ​Albert
Einstein​ ​had​ ​stated​​ ​‘a​ ​new​ ​type​ ​of​ ​thinking​ ​is​ ​essential​ ​if​ ​mankind​ ​is​ ​to​ ​survive​ ​and​ ​move
towards​ ​higher​ ​levels.’​ ​ ​Similarly​ ​we​ ​at​ ​Akshaya​ ​Patra​ ​are​ ​looking​ ​for​ ​a​ ​holistic,​ ​multilateral
approach​ ​with​ ​durable​ ​and​ ​long-term​ ​focus​ ​on​ ​scalability​ ​that​ ​can​ ​help​ ​us​ ​to​ ​amplify​ ​the​ ​reach​ ​of
our​ ​programme.

● Outline​ ​suitable​ ​strategies​ ​that​ ​Akshaya​ ​Patra​ ​can​ ​adopt​ ​so​ ​that​ ​it​ ​can​ ​reach​ ​out​ ​to​ ​more
number​ ​of​ ​children​ ​given​ ​that​ ​its​ ​vision​ ​is​ ​to​ ​feed​ ​5​ ​million​ ​children​ ​per​ ​day​ ​by​ ​2020?
● What​ ​are​ ​the​ ​new​ ​approaches​ ​that​ ​can​ ​be​ ​employed​ ​to​ ​further​ ​improve​ ​the​ ​efficiency​ ​of
our​ ​school​ ​meal​ ​programme?
● What​ ​should​ ​be​ ​the​ ​strategic​ ​priorities​ ​of​ ​Akshaya​ ​Patra​ ​that​ ​will​ ​aid​ ​the​ ​organisation​ ​to
attain​ ​self-sustainability​ ​irrespective​ ​of​ ​the​ ​present​ ​day​ ​challenges?
● Design​ ​a​ ​suitable​ ​strategy​ ​for​ ​increasing​ ​our​ ​reach​ ​in​ ​rural​ ​India,​ ​coherently​ ​stating​ ​the
sustainable​ ​operational​ ​plan​ ​for​ ​the​ ​same.

Relevant​ ​links​ ​for​ ​reference: