The Akshaya Patra Foundation Marks 16 Years of Partnership with NMDC

New Delhi, November 25, 2024: The Akshaya Patra Foundation, a non-profit focused on providing meals to support the education of school children, has marked 16 years of partnership with the National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC), a Navratna Public Sector Undertaking under the Ministry of Steel, Government of India. Since 2007, NMDC has been a key partner in supporting Akshaya Patra’s nourishment program, benefiting children across multiple regions in Karnataka.

“NMDC’s unwavering support over the past 16 years has been a big support in our initiatives. Their contribution has not only ensured nutritious meals for thousands of children but has also played a key role in fostering educational opportunities for the children,” said Mr. Shridhar Venkat, CEO of The Akshaya Patra Foundation. “This partnership exemplifies the positive change that can occur when corporates like NMDC prioritize social responsibility.”

“For the past 16 years NMDC and The Akshaya Patra Foundation have been together providing nutritious meals to the farthest villages of Bellary,” said Subhasish Chatterjee, General Manager, Corporate Social Responsibility, National Mineral Development Corporation, Donimalai, “These meals go beyond nutrition and have improved the attendance of the school children. Thus we see the power of one hot plate of food which plays a key role in fostering educational opportunities for thousands of children.”

Over the years, NMDC’s support has grown from an initial contribution of ₹53 lakhs to ₹1.5 crore as of today. Currently, it sponsors the meals of 8,000 children across various locations including Sandur, Donimalai, Hospet, Dhanapur, Kerikeri, Bellary, and Narasinghpura. Last year alone, NMDC’s sponsorship helped provide over 18.66 lakh meals to children through Akshaya Patra’s Mid-Day Meal Program.

On 11th November, in celebration of NMDC's formation day and the launch of its new logo, NMDC leadership visited Akshaya Patra’s kitchen to understand the impact of their contributions.