Akshaya Patra’s Surat kitchen was inaugurated on 15^th February, 2015. The centralised kitchen, which was sponsored by the Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) and the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC), was formally opened by Chief Minister of Gujarat, Anandiben Patel.

The event was also attended by Nanubhai Vanani, Minister of State (Primary, Secondary & Adult); C R Patil, Member of Parliament, Surat; Darshnaben Jardosh, Member of Parliament, Surat; Niranjanbhai Zanzmera, Mayor; Janak M Patel, MLA, Karanj (Surat); Purnesh Modi, MLA, Surat; Milind Torwane, Commissioner, Surat Municipal Corporation; Dr. Rajendra Kumar, Collector, Surat District; Rakesh Asthana, Commissioner, Surat Police; Aalok Misra, Executive Director (HR), Chief CSR, ONGC; S K Pathak, Executive Director (Hazira), ONGC; Chanchalapathi Dasa, Vice Chairman, The Akshaya Patra Foundation and Jaganmohan Krishna Dasa, President, The Akshaya Patra Foundation (Gujarat).

On arriving, Anandiben Patel was welcomed by Chanchalapathi Dasa, Vice Chairman of Akshaya Patra. The Chief Minister cut the ribbon to inaugurate the kitchen, and took part in the lighting of the lamp. The dignitaries were also taken on a tour of the new kitchen where they could see first-hand the state-of-the-art equipment used to cook the Akshaya Patra mid-day meal everyday. Anandiben Patel also flagged off the custom-built Akshaya Patra meal delivery vans that will be used to transport the food to the beneficiary schools.

After the inauguration plaque was unveiled, and donors felicitated, Anandiben Patel addressed the media gathering. The Chief Minister and the other dignitaries also served the Akshaya Patra mid-day meal to the beneficiary students attending the event.

The Surat kitchen originally opened in June 2012, and functioned as an interim kitchen till this new kitchen became operational in June 2014.

View images of the kitchen inauguration from our gallery.