The milestone underscores both organisations’
enduring commitment to tackling classroom hunger by promoting nutrition and
education under the PM POSHAN scheme
Jaipur,
Rajasthan, 23 January 2026 : In a powerful testament to the impact of
collaboration, Deutsche Bank and The Akshaya Patra Foundation marked a landmark
achievement: serving 100 million mid-day meals to school children across India.
The milestone was celebrated at an event in Jaipur, bringing together
beneficiary children, educators, volunteers, and representatives from both
organisations to honour a shared vision – ensuring that hunger never stands in
the way of education.
This
achievement underscores the transformative role of institutional partnerships
in addressing classroom hunger and fostering inclusive education. Through its
CSR initiatives, Deutsche Bank has supported Akshaya Patra’s school lunch meal
programme for years, enabling the preparation and distribution of hygienic,
nutritious meals aligned with the Government of India’s PM POSHAN scheme. By
ensuring consistent access to nutrition, the partnership has strengthened
children’s physical well-being and created an environment conducive to learning
and social inclusion.
Kaushik
Shaparia, CEO of Deutsche Bank Group India & Emerging Asia, said, “At
Deutsche Bank, we believe collaboration is vital to creating lasting social
impact, and this milestone reflects what sustained partnerships can achieve.
Every meal represents dignity, opportunity, and hope for children who need it
most. Together with Akshaya Patra, we are working towards a future where no
child’s education is hindered by hunger.”
Shridhar
Venkat, CEO of The Akshaya Patra Foundation, added, “This milestone is a
testament to what sustained collaboration can achieve. Deutsche Bank’s
consistent support has enabled us to strengthen our operations, ensuring that
nutritious meals reach children reliably every school day. He further said, “I
want to thank Deutsche Bank and the Government of India for placing their trust
in us. This collaboration is an apt example of the power of the Public-Private
Partnership (PPP) model in creating a robust system to address socioeconomic
challenges at a scale.”
Despite
progress, classroom hunger and malnutrition remain barriers for children from
economically weaker sections. The PM POSHAN scheme plays a critical role in
combating these challenges, and partnerships like that of Deutsche Bank and
Akshaya Patra complement national efforts by combining institutional support
with efficient on-ground implementation.
Both
organisations reaffirmed their commitment to expanding the programme’s reach
and impact- ensuring that more children are nourished, educated, and empowered
to realise their full potential.
About
Deutsche Bank
Deutsche Bank is Germany’s leading bank, with a strong position in
Europe and a significant presence in the Americas and Asia Pacific. The bank
provides commercial and investment banking, retail banking, transaction
banking, asset and wealth management products and services to corporations,
governments, institutional investors, small and medium-sized businesses, and
private individuals.
The Deutsche Bank group has been operating in India since 1980, with a
strong presence in the businesses of corporate and investment banking, retail
banking, private wealth management, and global business services. With close to
25,000 staff and operations across 18 locations in India, the group is
recognised as one of the leading foreign financial service providers in India.
Deutsche Bank plays an active role in helping to shape stronger
communities. The bank’s CSR agenda focuses on two impact areas: education and
environment: helping people advance their professional and personal
competencies and skills; and contributing towards the conservation and
protection of the environment. This includes supporting projects that help
communities become more climate resilient. Deutsche Bank works together with
like-minded partners towards these goals.
Our employees are central to this effort—proud to contribute their
skills and expertise towards such a cause. In 2025, more than 415,000 people in
India benefitted from the bank’s CSR programmes and 40% of employees
volunteered to support various causes.
About
The Akshaya Patra Foundation
The
Akshaya Patra Foundation is a social impact organisation committed to
addressing classroom hunger and malnutrition in India. The Foundation serves as
an implementing partner of the PM POSHAN Scheme in government and
government-aided schools, ensuring that children receive nutritious meals,
enabling better access to education and improved learning outcomes.
Since
its inception in 2000, Akshaya Patra has been serving wholesome meals to
children on every school day. The Foundation continuously leverages technology
and process innovation to deliver food at scale while maintaining the highest
standards of hygiene and nutrition. Its state-of-the-art kitchens have emerged
as models of operational excellence and attract visitors from across India and
around the world.
With
the support of the Government of India and various State Governments, Akshaya
Patra has grown from serving 1,500 children in five schools to becoming one of
the world’s largest not-for-profit school feeding programmes. Today, its
network of kitchens spanning 78 locations across 16 states and 3 union
territories enables the Foundation to reach over 2.35 million children studying
in more than 23,000 schools and Anganwadis.
For Media Queries:
Media contact: Deeptha Rajkumar (Deutsche Bank)
Email: deeptha.rajkumar@db.com
Media Contact: Vivek Sathyamurthy (Akshaya Patra)
Email: vivek.s@akshayapatra.org
