Coming soon
visit to Akshaya Patra
A visit to Akshaya Patra was organized for M Sc Home science (Foods and Nutrition) Sem II & IV, B Sc CND elective Sem IV and the students of FSQC Diploma and Advance Diploma as a part of their syllabi. They visited the plant on 3rd February 2017 escorted by a faculty member.
The Akshaya Patra Foundation is a charity committed to end classroom hunger in India. Head quartered in Bangalore, we implement Mid-Day Meal Scheme in partnership with the Government of India and various State Governments. The Akshaya Patra Foundation started its mid-day meal programme in June, 2000 by providing free mid-day meals to 1,500 children in 5 Government schools in Bengaluru, Karnataka. Over the past 16 years, the constant support from the Government of India, various State Governments and associated organisations has enabled the programme to grow by leaps and bounds. We serve wholesome mid-day meals to more than 1.6 million children from over 13,529 Government and Government aided schools from across 11 states in India. With part support from Government, we receive our funding from many philanthropic businesses, generous donors and well-wishers from across the globe.
Akshaya Patra has been operating since the year 2000 with a vision that ‘no child in India shall be deprived of education because of hunger. With a goal to reach 5 million children every school day by 2020, we need all the support we can get. We incur Rs. 950 to feed a child for an entire academic year. With your support we are confident that we will accomplish our goal and much more. One may choose to donate for a child or several children, a school, a distribution vehicle or kitchen equipment. Help end classroom hunger in India.
A power point presentation was given by Mr Divya Jain, Manager Quality Projects, Akshaya Patra, Jaipur. He covered the policies and objectives of the organization, the beneficiaries of the organization and about the foundation. The menu served by the organization, the nutritive value of the meal. He also focussed on the purchasing, storage, preparation and service of food items prepared by them. the presentation and the discussion with him was very fruitful as all the queries were solved by him.
After that, we visited the preparation area, where the peeled potatoes were soaked in containers and in a different section, the rice were cooked in containers and decanted in carrying utensils. Then, we moved to the utensil washing area, the quality laboratory and the food processor and grinder, which was near the step in or walk in refrigerator for quick approach to vegetables..
On the other side was the dry storage area, where the grains were stored. The physical examination of grains was done by the female staff. Each and every grain was examined for physical contaminant and then were labelled accordingly like red label meant rejection, green meant ready for use and blue stands for to be examined. All the pulses, condiments and spices were purchased in bulk and stored under hygienic conditions with proper lighting and ventilation.
At the end we moved to the chappati making area, where the dough making, chappati rolling, cooking and oiling of chapatti was all done mechanically. Even weighing of the chappaties was done mechanically and the known quantity was decanted in container. It was really a wonderful experience to see the cooking of uniform size of chappaties on such a large scale without manual handling.
Overall it was a very fruitful experience visiting akshaya patra catering good quality food to such a huge population.