Father’s Day – The Journey of Recognising Fathers

On 9 May 1909, while attending a Mother’s Day church service, a question struck a young woman named Sonora Smart Dodd: “Why is there no day honouring fathers?”

After losing her mother at the age of 16, she witnessed her father raise her and her siblings with dedication and strength. This experience inspired her lifelong commitment to recognising fathers and their role in shaping families.

Her efforts led to the first Father’s Day celebration on 19 June 1910. However, it wasn’t until 1972 that the day received official recognition in the United States, when President Richard Nixon declared it a national holiday, fulfilling a six-decade-long vision of a woman who was then in her 80s.

Today, Father’s Day is celebrated worldwide on the third Sunday of June.

Like a father, Akshaya Patra Strives to Protect Childhood

When one becomes a father, his everyday work is about ensuring his children are fed, educating them and empowering them to stand on their feet. When Akshaya Patra started its journey in 2000 with 1,500 children, the idea behind it was to serve warm, nutritious mid-day meals every day and thus ensure no child is deprived of education because of hunger.

Today, with the support of central and state governments, corporates and well-wishers, we feed 2.35 million children across India. The success stories of children whose lives were transformed just because they received mid-day meals at schools make all the challenges we faced worthwhile, just as a father feels proud seeing his child win in life.

Fatherhood in Action: Voices from the Ground

For fathers like Devraj, ensuring that their children receive nutritious food at school every day is a huge relief.

Like a Father, We Show up Every Day

Just as a father leaves home every day so that his child can learn, grow and dream without worry, thousands of Akshaya Patra team members begin their day with a similar purpose – to serve millions of children across the country. You can also be part of this endeavour.

Join Us

This Father’s Day, honour your father or father-like figures by serving mid-day meals to a child who needs your support the most. By contributing, you become part of one of the most trusted NGOs in India, inspiring millions of dreams to come true.

This day, let’s carry forward the meaning of responsibility our fathers taught us. Make a charity donation today.

Every child deserves someone who believes in their future. Will you be one?

This growing support and the smile of 2.35 million children are the ultimate testament to the trust placed in us.

Akshaya Patra’s Recap 2025

Committed to a purpose of making lives better with nutritious meals, 2025 brought us significant milestones:

• Celebrated 25 years of service

On 11 November 2025, Akshaya Patra marked its 25th anniversary of feeding children. On this day, we commemorated our journey that started in 2000 with 1,500 children in five schools in Bengaluru, which has now grown to serve mid-day meals to 2.35 million children across 16 states and 3 UTs. In 2025 alone, we served 480 million mid-day meals and 120 million morning nutrition servings.

• Inaugurated the first centralised kitchen in Goa

In March this year, Dr. Pramod Sawant, the Honourable Chief Minister of Goa, inaugurated our 78th kitchen and the first one in Goa. It has the capacity to prepare up to 5,000 meals. Like in other states, we serve meals adhering to the local palate, such as chapatis, batata bhaji, vatana bhaji, vegetable korma, idli, sambar, soya chunks, mixed-veg pulav, etc.

• First centralised kitchen in Bihar

Akshaya Patra is gearing up to begin its journey in Bihar. In June, the Bhoomi Pujan of the Foundation’s first centralised kitchen in Bihar was held. Sunil Kumar, the Honourable Minister of Education, laid the foundation stone of the facility, which is expected to improve attendance and nutritional status of thousands of children across Patna district through MDM.

• Bhavnagar kitchen is fully powered by solar.

With 93.9 kW solar capacity installed, the Bhavnagar kitchen in Gujarat is now operates entirely on solar power. This not only eliminates the electric bill of the kitchen but also reduces the carbon footprint, a significant milestone in our efforts to protect the greener future that the community we serve deserves.

• Delhi kitchen delivery fleet is fully electric

The meal delivery fleet across Delhi has become fully electric, significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This is another testament to our sustainable operations under the MDM initiative.

• Featured in prestigious Forbes Magazine

Akshaya Patra has featured in Forbes, the magazine that sets a benchmark for organisational excellence. The article describes Akshaya Patra’s journey, the hurdles we face and the vision they looking forward to achieving.

Awards Received:

• NGO Leadership Award – National Awards for Excellence
• Best CSR Impact Maker of the Year in CSR Health System Strengthening Project – 9th CSR Health Impact Awards
• Food Safety Culture Award 2025 – India Food Safety Conclave (IFSC) at the Bangalore International Centre
• Best Civil Society Organisation Award – 11th Asian Centre for Corporate Governance & Sustainability

Fundraising Charity Events

• Golf for Good Charity Tournament
The funds pooled through the charity tournament supported 1,400 children’s mid-day meals for an entire academic year.

• Music for Meals – Agam
Carnatic progressive music band, Agam, joined a charity concert that helped us strengthen our MDM efforts.

Feeding Humanity

A glimpse of our servings during times of devotion and crisis:

• Maha Kumbh Feeding
Served over 10,36,230 meals to the devotees at the Maha Kumbh

• Disaster Relief Feeding
– Served meals to flood–affected people in Solapur (Maharashtra), Ajmer (Rajasthan), Vrindavan (Uttar Pradesh) and Badarpur (Assam).
– Provided food support to residents in Dehradun & Chamoli during landslide
– Distributed grocery kits to displaced families in Jammu & Kashmir during cross-border escalations

Story of Hope

Behind every mid-day meal is a dream waiting to sprout

Looking ahead

A mother never says no when her child is hungry. Like a mother who never lets her child go hungry, we strive to ensure that ‘No child in India shall be deprived of education because of hunger.’

Though we can’t match a mother’s meals, your support can help us come close. Help us feed children like mothers do. Donate Now.

Nutrition plays a defining role in the physical, emotional and cognitive development of children. A nutritious meal supports concentration, memory, immunity, energy levels and overall growth. For school-going children, especially those from underserved communities, access to regular and balanced meals can directly influence attendance, classroom participation and learning outcomes. Adequate child nutrition helps children remain active, attentive and motivated throughout the school day, while poor nutrition often leads to fatigue, illness and reduced academic performance. As schools continue to shape the future of young minds, ensuring proper morning nutrition and daily nourishment becomes essential in helping children stay in school and pursue their education with confidence.

Government Initiatives Supporting Child Nutrition

Recognising the strong link between nutrition and education, the Government of India has introduced several welfare initiatives aimed at supporting schoolchildren. Among these, the PM POSHAN Scheme – formerly known as the Mid-Day Meal Programme, has emerged as one of the country’s most impactful school feeding initiatives. Designed to improve enrolment, attendance and retention, the programme ensures that children studying in government and government-aided schools receive nutritious cooked meals during the school day.

In addition to the mid-day meal initiative, schemes focused on food security, health check-ups, micronutrient supplementation and fortified foods continue to strengthen the larger ecosystem of child nutrition in India. Together, these interventions contribute to reducing classroom hunger and encouraging children to continue their education without interruption.

Supreme Court Guidelines on Mid-Day Meals

The importance of school meals was further reinforced through landmark directives issued by the Supreme Court of India. In November 2001, the Court directed all state governments to provide cooked mid-day meals to children in government and government-aided primary schools. This transformed school feeding from a welfare initiative into a rights-based intervention linked closely to the Right to Education and child welfare.

The guidelines emphasised the need to provide meals with adequate calories and protein content, maintain hygiene standards and ensure regular meal delivery. Over time, the nutritional benchmarks for school meals were further refined to meet the developmental requirements of children across age groups.

Under current PM POSHAN nutritional norms:

Infographic: Nutritional Standards and Locally Palatable Meals

These standards continue to guide the implementation of the Mid-Day Meal Programme across the country.

Nutritious Meals Served by Akshaya Patra

Akshaya Patra prepares freshly cooked, locally palatable meals that align with regional food habits while supporting children’s nutritional needs.

Nutritional Value of Vegetables Commonly Included in Meals

Locally Palatable Meals That Encourage School Attendance

Food habits vary significantly across India, making local relevance an important aspect of school feeding programmes. Akshaya Patra designs meals based on regional preferences so that children receive food that is familiar, culturally accepted and enjoyable. From bisi bele bath in Karnataka to khichdi in northern states and ragi-based preparations in select regions, these meals combine taste with nutrition.

This approach has helped strengthen participation in the mid-day meal initiative by encouraging children to attend school regularly. For many students, school meals provide dependable nutrition and become an important reason to stay engaged with education. Freshly cooked meals served with consistency and care help create a positive school experience while addressing classroom hunger.

Today, Akshaya Patra, recognised as a leading NGO in India, supports over 2.3 million children every school day across thousands of government schools in the country.

Why Donations Matter?

Serving nutritious meals at this scale requires continuous support and sustained resources. Every meal involves procurement of ingredients, large-scale cooking operations, transportation, kitchen maintenance and nutritional planning. Donations help ensure that children continue receiving nutritious food every single school day without interruption.

Contributions also help expand outreach to more schools and communities where children remain vulnerable to hunger and malnutrition. As the demand for school feeding continues to grow, public participation becomes increasingly important in sustaining the impact of the Mid-Day Meal Programme.

By choosing to donate online, individuals can directly contribute towards nourishing children, supporting education and helping millions continue their journey in school with hope.

For large-scale feeding programmes, sustainability is no longer an additional effort. It is an operational responsibility.

The Akshaya Patra Foundation demonstrates how nutrition initiatives can support both children and the environment through efficient and responsible feeding models. By integrating operational efficiency with environmentally conscious practices, the foundation continues to show how school meal programmes can create long-term social impact.

What Does Sustainable Feeding Mean?

Sustainable feeding refers to food systems that nourish communities while minimising environmental impact and supporting long-term scalability.

This approach focuses on creating systems that are:

• Resource efficient
• Environmentally conscious
• Operationally responsible
• Socially impactful
• Built for long-term sustainability

In school feeding programmes, this means preparing and distributing meals in ways that reduce waste, optimise resources and strengthen communities over time.

Sustainable Kitchens That Improve Efficiency

One of the defining features of The Akshaya Patra Foundation is its centralised kitchen model. These large-scale sustainable kitchens are designed to prepare high volumes of meals with consistency, hygiene and operational precision while supporting responsible resource management.

The centralised approach helps support:

• Standardised meal preparation
• Better inventory management
• Reduced operational duplication
• Improved food safety systems
• Efficient utilisation of resources

These sustainable kitchens also make it easier to monitor and improve environmental practices across operations.

Smart Technology for Responsible Feeding

Technology plays an important role in making large-scale meal programmes more sustainable. The foundation uses automated and semi-automated cooking systems that improve consistency while reducing operational inefficiencies.

Some sustainability-focused measures include:

• Steam-based cooking systems that optimise fuel usage
• Solar energy integration in select kitchen facilities
• Automated cooking processes that improve portion control
• Efficient water usage and cleaning systems
• Structured inventory and meal planning to minimise wastage

Even small operational improvements can create meaningful impact when multiplied across millions of meals served every day.

Many organisations are recognised as green NGOs and The Akshaya Patra Foundation continues to demonstrate how environmentally conscious systems can support large-scale social initiatives. NGOs today are increasingly adopting sustainable operational models to balance development goals with environmental responsibility.

Reducing Food Waste Through Better Planning

Food waste remains a major global challenge. Wasted food also means wasted water, energy and resources used during production and transportation.

To address this, The Akshaya Patra Foundation follows structured demand-based meal preparation systems. Meals are prepared according to actual school requirements, helping reduce unnecessary excess.

This includes:

• Forecast-based preparation
• Planned inventory systems
• Standardised meal portions
• Coordinated distribution processes

Efficient planning helps improve both operational effectiveness and responsible resource usage.

Sustainability Beyond the Kitchen

Sustainability is not only about environmental responsibility. It is also about long-term community development.

School feeding programmes contribute toward improved classroom concentration, school attendance and educational participation. Access to regular nutritious meals encourages children to stay in school and continue learning, especially in underserved communities.

The impact extends beyond individual students and contributes toward stronger families and communities over time.

Feeding the Future Responsibly

As sustainability becomes an increasingly important global priority, every large-scale NGO is being encouraged to rethink how impact is created. The Akshaya Patra Foundation continues to demonstrate that large-scale feeding programmes can support both child nutrition and responsible operational practices simultaneously.

Every meal served represents more than nourishment. It reflects a commitment toward:

• Responsible resource management
• Sustainable community support
• Efficient operations
• Long-term developmental impact

Supporting Sustainable Feeding

Individuals today are increasingly choosing to support environmentally responsible initiatives through digital giving platforms. People can now donate online to support school feeding programmes that combine child nutrition with sustainability-focused operations.

At a time when access to quality education is key to building stronger communities, school meals continue to be an important factor in ensuring that children not only enrol in school, but attend consistently. For millions of children studying in government and government-aided schools, a nutritious meal in school is often the assurance that lets them to focus on learning instead of hunger.

This mission at Akshaya Patra has turned out to be much more than just serving food. Every meal represents continuity in education, improved classroom participation and the assurance that comes from knowing a child’s nutritional needs are being cared for every school day.

From School Enrolment to Sustained Education

In the early years of the programme, mid-day meals were primarily perceived as an incentive for parents to send their children to school. In rural and economically vulnerable communities, the prospect of a cooked meal was a powerful draw for enrolment.

But, over the years, the role of school meals has changed significantly.

Today, mid-day meals act as a stabilising support system for children and families. They help reduce absenteeism, improve concentration in classrooms and encourage children to return to school regularly. For many parents facing financial uncertainty, the assurance of a nutritious school meal reduces one major daily concern.

The impact goes beyond academics. A wholesome meal during the school day contributes to better nutrition, supports physical growth and creates a positive learning environment where children can participate actively.

This shift from “incentive” to “impact” reflects the growing understanding that education and nutrition are deeply interconnected.

Delivering More Than Meals

Serving freshly cooked meals to children at scale requires operational excellence. Akshaya Patra’s centralised kitchens are designed to ensure that every meal served maintains high standards of safety and quality so children can depend on a consistent meal every school day.

Today, 47 kitchens across the country are certified under ISO 22000:2018 Food Safety Management Systems (FSMS), underlining the organisation’s commitment to safe food handling and quality management. Some of the kitchens are also certified under ISO 14001:2015 and ISO 45001:2018 for Environment, Health and Safety Management Systems, while the central office in Bengaluru is certified under ISO 9001:2015 for Quality Management Systems. In addition, 21 Food Safety and Quality Control labs, including NABL-accredited facilities, help monitor food safety standards consistently.

These systems are not only about operational efficiency. This helps ensure that children receive safe, nutritious and timely meals that support uninterrupted learning.

The day starts in the early hours of the morning.

Fresh vegetables are procured daily and undergo sorting and washing before use. To maintain freshness and minimise wastage, the kitchens follow FIFO (First In, First Out) and FEFO (First Expiry, First Out) methods for storage and usage of raw materials. The organisation also follows Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) across both centralised and decentralised kitchens, with regular audits conducted to assess hygiene protocols, food safety standards and operational consistency.

From procurement to preparation and delivery, every stage is monitored through scientific quality assurance measures and HACCP-based processes to reduce food safety risks. Temperature checks are carried out at regular intervals to ensure food safety and consistency throughout the cooking and delivery process.

These processes help schools and families rely on the programme with confidence, knowing that children receive freshly cooked meals prepared with care and consistency.

The delivery process itself is equally important.

Specially designed delivery vehicles follow carefully planned routes to ensure meals reach schools on time before lunch hours begin. Insulated stainless steel vessels help retain freshness and temperature during transportation so that children receive hot meals during the school day.

Behind every meal served is a carefully coordinated ecosystem that supports classroom attendance, concentration and continuity in education for millions of children every school day.

Supporting Children Beyond the Classroom

For children, school is not just a place of learning. It is also a place of safety and opportunity.

A nourishing meal often becomes a source of motivation for children to attend school regularly. Teachers across communities have observed that students are more attentive and engaged when they are not distracted by hunger.

Parents, too, view school meals served by NGOs in India as reliable support during times of economic pressure. For families managing limited household resources, the assurance that their child will receive a wholesome meal in school provides both nutritional and emotional relief.

As India continues to strengthen its focus on education and child development, the importance of school meal programmes remains undeniable. The journey from improving enrolment numbers to enabling long-term educational continuity highlights how deeply nourishment influences a child’s future.

A Shared Commitment to Education and Nutrition

Akshaya Patra currently serves nutritious meals to 2.35 million of children across 25,000+ government schools in India every school day under the PM POSHAN initiative. To further help children benefit, morning nutrition snacks are provided to give them a healthy start to their school day. This impact is made possible through the collective support of donors, partners and well-wishers who believe that no child should have to choose between hunger and education.

Donate online to contribute to something far greater than a meal. Help create consistency in classrooms, encourage children to return to school every day and support families who rely on these meals as part of their children’s educational journey.

What was a simple incentive yesterday, has today become a foundation for learning, growth and opportunity.

And with continued support, millions more children can walk into classrooms each morning ready to learn, participate and dream of a brighter future.

But there was a time when one worry stayed with her throughout the day, would she have enough to eat?

For many families across India, this gap between what mothers wish to provide and what they are able to provide is a daily reality. While a mother’s instinct is always to protect and nurture, circumstances don’t always allow it. And when a child’s nutrition is compromised, so is their ability to learn and grow.

This Mother’s Day, we are reminded that motherhood is not just about love, it is also about ensuring child nutrition, about making sure no child is held back by hunger.

In a government school not far from home, the lunch bell rings. Children gather with anticipation, their energy shifting as freshly prepared meals are served. For Jyotsnarani’s daughter, and millions like her, this meal is an assurance. It is a continuation of her mother’s care, even in her absence.

Through the PM POSHAN initiative (earlier Mid-Day Meal Programme), children across the country receive nutritious meals every school day. These meals play a vital role in strengthening child nutrition, helping children stay in school and focus better.

A teacher from the school shares, “There was a time when many children would sit quietly, distracted and low on energy. Today, after receiving regular meals, they are more attentive, more active and eager to participate. You can see the difference in their confidence.”

This change may seem simple, but its impact is profound. When children receive proper nutrition, they are not just able to concentrate better, they begin to engage, express and believe in their own potential.

As a trusted NGO in India, Akshaya Patra works to bridge this gap between a mother’s intent and a child’s reality. Every day, the Foundation prepares and delivers millions of meals to schoolchildren across the country with reliability and care, without fail.

In many ways, this effort reflects a mother’s promise that a child will not go hungry. It is a commitment that goes beyond individual homes and becomes a shared responsibility.
Each meal served is more than nourishment. It tells a child: you are cared for, you are seen, you matter.

This Mother’s Day, the celebration can become an act of compassion. By choosing to support initiatives that feed people in need, you help carry forward that promise to children who need it the most.

A simple step can make a meaningful difference. When you donate online, you help ensure that a child receives the nourishment they need to learn and grow. You become part of a larger movement, one that extends a mother’s care into classrooms across the country.

As we celebrate Mother’s Day, let us honour not just the love that mothers give, but also the responsibility we share in supporting them. Because when we come together to nourish a child, we are strengthening the future of a nation.

Motherhood is about sustaining life. With care. With dignity. And with the nourishment that helps every child rise.

Sustaining a child’s life can begin with a single decision. This Mother’s Day, take that step. Donate to help feed children and ensure that they receive the nourishment they need to rise beyond classroom hunger.

This day calls for a global movement, for clean water, clean air, clean energy and climate stability by protecting the present not-so-clean sky, the not-so-clean air, the not-so-clean water and thus help them rejuvenate.

At Akshaya Patra, we are committed to serving mid-day meals to children under PM POSHAN Abhiyaan (Mid-Day Meal Programme or MDM) while ensuring our operations remain environmentally sustainable. We employ different methods to reduce its carbon footprint.

Our Eco-Friendly Initiatives include:

• Solar Powered Kitchens
Many of our kitchen rooftops are equipped with solar PV panels, reducing dependence on fossil fuels and thus reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Our Barsana kitchen in Uttar Pradesh is fully operated by solar. In the financial year 2025-26, with 3,825 kW of solar capacity across all our kitchens, we reduced 2,577 tonnes of CO2, which is equivalent to the carbon absorption of 1,17,124 trees.

• Electric Vehicles
Our fleet includes 203 Electric Vehicles (EVs) delivering freshly prepared, warm, nutritious mid-day meals to children across India while reducing carbon emissions in the road transport sector. Our aim is to expand to 1,000 EVs by 2030. In the financial year 2025-26 alone, these EVs have reduced 582 tonnes of carbon emissions, which is equivalent to planting 26,436 trees.

• Biogas Plants
We manage our organic solid waste through biogas plants, converting it into energy and thus reducing our dependence on LPG. Currently, fifteen of our kitchens have biogas plants converting 340 metric tonnes of waste. This is equivalent to planting 1,818 trees.

• IIOT Enablement of Kitchens for Smart Control
By enabling Industrial Internet of Things (IIOT) technologies across all our kitchens. Smart sensors and data-driven systems allow real-time monitoring and control over the massive-scale cooking processes. This helps reduce food waste, optimise energy and water usage and lower overall carbon emissions. Our target is to optimise resource consumption by 20% through this technology.

• Biomass Briquettes
Instead of conventional fuels like coal and charcoal, we use biomass briquettes, made from agricultural waste such as wood pieces, grain husks and banana peel, to prepare mid-day meals.

• FIFO and FEFO
We follow FIFO (First In, First Out) and FEFO (First Expired, First Out) principles, which ensure ingredients are used in a timely manner, reducing food waste and thus maintaining the quality and nutritional value of every meal served.

• Effluent Treatment Plants
We also use Effluent Treatment Plants (ETPs) to reuse water and reduce freshwater usage. The treated water is often used for gardening, cleaning vehicles and other cleaning purposes.

Bring Your Power into Action This Earth Day

There are many ways in which you can contribute to reviving the Earth. Plant a tree, volunteer in cleaning natural resources like rivers, beaches or natural tourist spots, use public transport to reduce carbon emissions or use eco-friendly products.

Along with your individual contributions, multiply your impact by supporting Akshaya Patra’s cause. When you donate online to serve mid-day meals, you are also doing a world of good for the earth through our sustainable practices. Together, let’s make an impact, both on children and the Earth we all live on.

What if, this year, your beginning didn’t just mark a moment, but created a ripple that never fades?

A day of abundance and opportunity

Traditionally, it is believed that whatever you give on Akshaya Tritiya multiplies. This belief is rooted in the idea of abundance; in wealth, kindness, nourishment and shared humanity.

In Indian culture, feeding someone is considered one of the highest forms of giving. The day is also closely associated with Goddess Annapurna, the embodiment of nourishment and sustenance. Her presence reminds us that true prosperity lies in ensuring no one goes hungry.

So here’s a simple but powerful thought:
What if your act of giving today could continue to nourish someone, every single day?

From mythology to meaningful action

Many of us have heard of the Akshaya Patra from the Mahabharata, the divine vessel that never ran out of food. It symbolised a world where hunger didn’t exist, where nourishment was constant and assured.

Today, that spirit lives on through organisations like The Akshaya Patra Foundation.

What began as a mission to serve meals to a small group of children has grown into one of the world’s largest school feeding programmes. Every meal served is more as a step towards education, dignity and opportunity.

Because when a child is not distracted by hunger, they can focus on learning. And when they learn, their future begins to change.

The power of one decision

It’s easy to think that change requires something big. But often, it starts with something simple like a single decision.
With the support of donors:

• 2.35 million children receive nutritious meals every day
• Hunger no longer stands between a child and their education
• A single act of giving can support a child’s meals for an entire year

Think about that for a moment.

One contribution. One child. One year of nourishment.

That’s the kind of impact that doesn’t end with the day but continues, quietly shaping a child’s life, one meal at a time.
When hunger ends, possibilities begin.
Hunger is not just about an empty stomach. It affects concentration, energy and the ability to dream.

A simple meal can:

• Help a child stay in school
• Improve focus and participation in class
• Build the foundation for a healthier, brighter future

When you remove hunger, you unlock children’s potential.

Make this Akshaya Tritiya truly meaningful

This Akshaya Tritiya, as you celebrate abundance, you also have the opportunity to create it for yourself and also for someone who needs it the most.

• Feed a child
• Fuel a dream
• Be the reason someone learns with a full stomach

Because the most meaningful beginnings are the ones that don’t end.

Observed every year on April 7, World Health Day highlights the importance of building a healthier world for all. Led by the World Health Organisation (WHO), this global observance raises awareness about key health challenges and encourages collective action. World Health Day is not limited to medical care, it also draws attention to everyday factors like nutrition, hygiene and access to basic necessities that shape overall well-being.

World Health Day serves as a timely reminder that good health begins with strong foundations, especially during childhood. By focusing on preventive care and healthy habits early in life, we can help create lasting positive outcomes for individuals and communities alike.

Why Child Health Needs Attention

Children represent the future and their health is central to sustainable development. Proper nutrition during the early years supports physical growth, strengthens immunity and enhances cognitive development. Without access to balanced meals, children are more vulnerable to infections, fatigue and developmental delays.

On World Health Day, the focus on child health becomes even more relevant. A healthy child is more likely to attend school regularly, stay attentive in class and actively participate in learning. In contrast, poor nutrition can create barriers that affect both health and education outcomes, making it harder for children to reach their full potential.

The Role of Nutrition in Building Immunity and Growth

Nutrition plays a critical role in shaping a child’s overall well-being. Balanced meals that include essential nutrients such as proteins, vitamins and minerals that help build stronger immune systems, support healthy weight and height, and improve energy levels.

Initiatives like the PM POSHAN initiative contribute significantly to this effort. By providing children with consistent access to nutritious food, this programme helps reduce the risk of malnutrition and supports better health outcomes with wholesome mid-day meals. It also ensures that children have the energy needed to engage in both academic and physical activities throughout the school day.

Linking Nutrition with Education Outcomes

The connection between nutrition and education is closely interlinked. Hunger can make it difficult for children to concentrate, leading to reduced classroom participation and irregular attendance. A well-nourished child, on the other hand, is better equipped to focus, learn and perform.

The programme addresses this challenge by making nutritious mid-day meals accessible within the school environment. This not only supports health but also encourages school attendance and retention. On World Health Day, it is important to recognise how such interventions contribute to both improved learning and overall development.

Nakusha

Ajmer, Rajasthan

My name is Nakusha Bhat. I study in class 8 in Rajkiya Uccha Madhyamik Vidyala Kishanpura. My mother stays at home and works in the field. My father is a driver and works from 8 in the morning till 5 in the evening. I want to become a Singer because my father and grandfather sing bhajan and everyone is interested in it. I am learning to play the harmonium.

The food we get at school comes from Akshaya Patra’s kitchen. They serve dal and rice, khichdi, naan khatai and fruits like banana and guava. I like khichdi and naan khatai the most.

Rahul

Chittorgarh, Rajasthan

My name is Rahul Gadri. I study in Class 5 in Rajkiya Ucch Madhyamik Vidyalaya, Sirodi, in Chittorgarh. My parents, Roshanlal Gargi and Ranidevi and my elder brother, Hitesh, are farmers. I take care of the family’s livestock. I milk the buffaloes, bathe them, take them out for grazing and even make dung cakes for fuel. My whole day goes by spending time with my buffaloes. I want to start my own animal husbandry centre. I will complete graduation because to run a business, you need to be educated too. I enjoy milk, daliya and dal-rice served at school. The food is tasty.

Our Role as an NGO in India

As an NGO in India, we are part of a broader ecosystem working towards child health and nutrition. At Akshaya Patra, our efforts are centred on providing freshly cooked meals to children in government schools, with a focus on quality, safety and nutritional value.

Through our work, we aim to support better immunity, sustained energy levels and consistent school participation among children. We recognise that addressing hunger is an important step towards improving both health and education outcomes at scale.

A Collective Responsibility

World Health Day reminds us that ensuring child health is a shared responsibility. Governments, organisations, communities and individuals all have a role to play in creating a supportive environment where children can thrive.

If you would like to contribute to this effort, you can choose to donate online and support the nutrition of children who rely on school meals. Even small contributions can help extend access to nutritious food and make a meaningful difference.

Moving Towards a Healthier Future

On World Health Day, the importance of consistent, everyday actions becomes clear. Ensuring access to nutritious meals is one such step that can have a lasting impact on a child’s life.

By supporting initiatives like the PM POSHAN programme, we move closer to a future where children are healthier, more active and better prepared to learn and grow.