The Akshaya Patra Foundation (TAPF) is a non-profit organization headquartered in Bengaluru, India, dedicated to eliminating classroom hunger and promoting education among children from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds. Established in 2000, TAPF began by serving mid-day meals to 1,500 children in five schools in Bengaluru. Today, it operates one of the world’s largest NGO-run school feeding programs, providing over 2.25 million meals daily across 78 locations in 16 states and 3 Union Territories in India
The foundation implements the Government of India’s PM POSHAN Abhiyaan (formerly the Mid-Day Meal Scheme), aiming to improve the nutritional status of school-aged children nationwide . Beyond school meals, TAPF also runs programs for Anganwadi centers, providing food to children aged 3–6, pregnant women, and lactating mothers, as well as initiatives for homeless mothers and disaster relief efforts .
TAPF’s fundraising campaigns are diverse and ongoing. For instance, the “Green Wheels for Hungry Minds” campaign successfully raised over ₹18 million to support mobile kitchens . Other campaigns include “Mid-Day Meal for Little Angels,” “No More Empty Plates,” and “Akshaya Patra’s First Crowd-funded Kitchen,” each aiming to address specific needs and expand the foundation’s reach.
