25 yrs, 5 billion meals: At Akshay Patra milestone, President Murmu says nourishment and education key to Viksit Bharat | India News
2 min readNew DelhiMar 18, 2026 12:56 AM IST President Droupadi Murmu on Tuesday presided over an event to celebrate five billion meals served by The Akshaya Patra Foundation, using the occasion to emphasize the link between nutrition, education, and India’s long-term development goals. “Serving five billion meals in the advancement of educational objectives is the remarkable achievement of Akshaya Patra Foundation,” President Murmu said. It “underscores the significance of a nourished and educated society in realizing our national resolve to build ‘Viksit Bharat’ by the year 2047,” she said. Framing child welfare as a collective responsibility, Murmu said, “A safe and bright future for our children is not solely the responsibility of the government, but a shared responsibility of us all.” She added that “We must ensure that every child receives quality education, nutritious food, good health, and a clean and safe environment.” The President said the school meals program PM-POSHAN, formerly the Mid-Day Meal Scheme, “had proven to be a significant incentive for parents to send their children to school,” and had led …
