Akshaya Patra

The Hare Krishna Movement Jaipur, in collaboration with the Akshaya Patra Foundation, runs an exemplary program dedicated to distributing free mid-day meals to government school children regularly. The Jaipur kitchen of Akshaya Patra is acknowledged as the second-largest centralized kitchen in Asia, serving a staggering 1.7 lakh (170,000) school children daily. This initiative not only aims to address hunger but also supports the education of underprivileged children, ensuring that no child is impoverished of learning due to a lack of food.

Operations and Efficiency The operations of the Akshaya Patra kitchen in Jaipur are a wonder of efficiency and scale. Within just 3-4 hours each day, the kitchen prepares nutritious meals including chapati, sabji, rice, and dal for about 170,000 students. These meals are then distributed to government schools in and around Jaipur city, ensuring that thousands of children acquire their mid-day meal on time. Beyond schools, the kitchen also supplies food to various other sites such as government hospitals and industrial areas, showcasing its extensive reach and commitment to serving the society. The Akshaya Patra program is an initiative of ISKCON Bangalore, propelled by a powerful vision: "No child in India shall be deprived of education because of hunger." Since its inception in June 2000, when it started feeding 1,500 children in Bangalore, the program has heightened exponentially. Today, it extends over 1.76 million children every day across 42 locations in 12 states of India, making it the world's largest NGO-run mid-day meal program. The mission of Akshaya Patra is aspiring yet achievable: to reach 5 million children by 2020. The success of the Akshaya Patra program is attributed to its active partnership with the Central and various State Governments of India. This association ensures that mid-day meals are provided to children studying in government and government-aided schools. The Foundation operates through two kitchen models: centralized kitchens, which are highly mechanized and appropriate for urban and semi-urban areas, and decentralized kitchens, which are set up in inaccessible regions and involve local women in the cooking process.

The Akshaya Patra program organized by the Hare Krishna Movement Jaipur is a testament to the transformative power of combining social service with methodical management and spiritual dedication. By providing nutritious mid-day meals to hundreds of thousands of children, the program not only addresses hunger but also encourages educational growth and development. The continuous support and contributions from the society and the government ensure that this noble initiative can sustain and expand its reach, embracing more lives and paving the way for a hunger-free, educated future.