In a landmark achievement for India’s social sector, the Akshaya Patra Foundation has crossed the milestone of serving 5 billion meals to schoolchildren, reaffirming its position as the world’s largest NGO-run school meal programme.
The milestone, commemorated in 2026 in the presence of the President of India, highlights the scale and impact of an initiative that began modestly in 2000 by feeding just 1,500 children in five Government schools in Bengaluru.
Founded under the inspiration of ISKCON Bangalore and guided by its founder A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the programme has grown into a nationwide movement under the leadership of Madhu Pandit Dasa. Its core philosophy-that no child should be deprived of education due to hunger-continues to drive its mission.