Early morning each day, scores of Akshaya Patra employees converge at the geodesic marvel of the Vrindavan centralized kitchen, in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, to begin preparations for the day’s activities. Their task is no easy one. Tons of vegetables and rice, not to mention, tens of thousands of rotis must be prepared within a few short hours and sent to the hundreds of schools around the area where Akshaya Patra provides meals. All this needs to take place before the 1 o’clock lunch break, when more than 158,000 children will eagerly file out of their classes for delicious, freshly cooked food rich in nutrients.

“Beautiful structure,” commented Mr. Joshi upon his visit. After the success of its pilot program in Karnataka, Akshaya Patra expanded its work to Uttar Pradesh in August 2003, where it began serving meals to school-going children in the holy city of Vrindavan. In stark contrast to the region’s rich culture and significance in Indian spirituality as the birthplace of Lord Krishna, Uttar Pradesh today faces many developmental challenges. According to the World Bank, it is one of six states in India where at least one in two children are underweight, and one of four states which account for nearly 43% of all underweight children in the country. 1 The government’s mid-day meal program which Akshaya Patra implements, therefore, has positively impacted many of the region’s underprivileged. For a great number of these children, one meal has made all the difference.