Sachin grew from being malnourished to becoming a sharp child with good memory retention. Studying in the sixth standard of Hanspal Primary School in Odisha, he wants to become a pilot. He is fascinated with how tiny the world might look when you fly at a distance where no traffic can stop you. Sachin thanks his school meals for making him healthy and sharp in his studies. He says that it’s better than what his mother serves at home.
Teachers of Hanspal Primary School in Odisha narrated a story of a young boy who studied in the third standard, three years ago. This boy was frail-looking, malnourished and underweight. Teachers recollect him of always being distracted and unable to concentrate in class.

One of his teachers recollects an incident. A young boy was sitting aloof while all his friends played on the ground. On speaking to him, the teacher got to know that he hasn’t been eating frequently as required, which is why he did not have the energy to play and run around. The very same day, the boy complained of stomach cramps and had to be sent back home.

Today, that same boy studies in the sixth standard of the same school and is a pet of all the teachers. This is the story of Sachin. He wants to become a pilot when he grows up. 

Sachin loves to fly high. He says, “Flying high gives you a whole different perspective in life.”

He thanks his cousin who’s staying in Mumbai, with whom he discusses challenging professions, their benefits, etc.

Sachin says, “We both know how much each profession pays and what to do to make loads of money.”

Sachin is a sharp student whose ability to grasp and recollect has drastically improved since the time nutritious meals were provided at school. His classmates are now happy that they have a new team member to play cricket with. The one person who is extremely elated on seeing an overall development in his health is his mother. Her eyes fill with tears when she talks about how drastically her son’s condition improved.

Sachin shows off his memory by playing a little game with his friends. He asks them to randomly write down numbers and names of cities on a piece of paper. He then takes a couple of minutes to memorise the sequence and recollects everything in the same order. He says, “This is how I study in class as well. I make a pattern, repeat it in my mind and then say it out aloud. I was not able to do this earlier. But now, I am a different person altogether.”

Sachin is firm on following his dreams. He says, “I know that being a pilot is difficult, but it is not impossible.”

He continues to say, “My mother was worried that I would not get better and die eventually. But here I am today. All thanks to Akshaya Patra’s food. It was better than what my mother served at home; delicious, tasty, different and healthy. I had to get better!”

Sachin and his mother are forever grateful to the whole Akshaya Patra team for bringing life back into him.