The Akshaya Patra Foundationโ€™s 4 Billion Meals Milestone under PM POSHAN Abhiyaan Commemorated at the United Nations

Summary

The event highlighted The Akshaya Patra Foundationโ€™s remarkable accomplishment of serving 4 billion meals under the auspices of PM POSHAN Abhiyaan, showcasing significant progress towards nourishing the future of India.

NEW DELHI: In a landmark event at the United Nations Headquarters, the Permanent Mission of India to the UN in New York celebrated Indiaโ€™s strides towards achieving Sustainable Development Goal 2 (Zero Hunger).

The event highlighted The Akshaya Patra Foundationโ€™s remarkable accomplishment of serving 4 billion meals under the auspices of PM POSHAN Abhiyaan, showcasing significant progress towards nourishing the future of India.

Prime Minister Modi commended The Akshaya Patra Foundationโ€™s efforts, emphasising the intrinsic value of nutrition and community in Indian culture. He stated, โ€œIt is with immense pride and joy that I congratulate the entire team of The Akshaya Patra Foundation on achieving the remarkable milestone of serving 4 Billion Meals.โ€

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The ceremonial celebration underscored Indiaโ€™s enduring commitment to food security and educational empowerment. Distinguished personalities such as Nobel Laureate Kailash Satyarthi and N R Narayana Murthy, Chairman Emeritus of Infosys, highlighted the significance of collaborative efforts in eradicating hunger and enhancing education through nutritional support.

Global Recognition for Indiaโ€™s Contribution to Food Security

Kailash Satyarthi, an advocate for childrenโ€™s rights, praised Akshaya Patraโ€™s role in keeping millions of children in school, stating, โ€œTheir Nobel work will take the country many steps ahead by helping the youth achieve their true potential.โ€

N R Narayana Murthy, Chairman of Emeritus, Infosys, emphasised the crucial role of nutrition in education, stating, โ€œNo country can build a sound and sustainable path to increasing prosperity for its citizens without a strong foundation of primary and secondary education.โ€

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Reflecting on the achievement, Madhu Pandit Dasa, Founder-Chairman of The Akshaya Patra Foundation, expressed gratitude to all stakeholders and reiterated the commitment to serving nutritious meals to children every school day. โ€œOver the last 24 years, Akshaya Patra has demonstrated a model for large-scale feeding in partnership with the government to meet the UN sustainable development goal of zero hunger,โ€ said Dasa.

The journey of The Akshaya Patra Foundation began in 2000, reaching its first billion meals in 2012. By 2016, it had served 2 billion meals, and in 2019, marked the milestone of serving 3 billion cumulative meals. The commemoration at the United Nations highlights the power of international solidarity in addressing world hunger. It embodies the spirit of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam โ€” the world is one family.

The Akshaya Patra Foundation, a not-for-profit implementing partner for the Government of Indiaโ€™s flagship PM POSHAN Abhiyaan, feeds over 2.1 million children in 24,082 schools across India, making it one of the largest NGO-run school feeding programs globally