State-of-the-art kitchen to provide 100,000 children with nutritious meals daily, ensuring healthier learning and brighter futures through technology-driven, sustainable solution
Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh – [25th Sept 2025] : Nayara Energy, a new-age downstream company of international
scale, has entered a partnership with The Akshaya Patra Foundation, a globally
recognised social impact organisation and an implementing partner of the
Government of India’s flagship PM POSHAN scheme (formerly known as
the Mid-Day Meal Programme), dedicated to addressing classroom hunger and
enabling education. Marking this partnership, a formal Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) was signed today, followed by a puja to commence the construction
of a state-of-the-art centralised kitchen in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh.
The event was honoured by the presence of senior
members of the Government of Uttar Pradesh, including Shri Sandeep Singh,
Hon’ble Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Basic Education, and Shri
Santosh Rai, Assistant Director of Basic Education. The ceremony was graced by
the presence of Shri Achintya Singh, Head - CSR, and other senior
representative from Nayara Energy, along with Sri Bharatarshabha Dasa, National
President & Trustee of The Akshaya Patra Foundation.
Through this collaboration, Nayara Energy is
supporting the construction of a centralised kitchen with the capacity to
prepare and deliver 100,000 hot, nutritious mid-day meals every school day to
children studying in government and government-aided schools in Kanpur. The
support from Nayara Energy will help in increasing the kitchen capacity tenfold
– from 10,000 meals per day to 100,000 meals per day. The facility, located
at Khasra No. 311 & 318, Kapili Tehsil, Kanpur Nagar, is set to become one
of the most impactful CSR initiatives of Nayara Energy, underscoring the
strength of the public–private partnership model that drives The Akshaya Patra
Foundation’s nationwide success.
The Kanpur centralised kitchen will be amongst the
most advanced in India, designed to integrate scale, technology, and
sustainability. With high-capacity steam-jacketed cauldrons, mechanised
rice and dal cookers, automated roti-making lines, and advanced vegetable
cleaning and cutting units, the kitchen will ensure speed, uniformity, and the
highest standards of hygiene and nutrition. Industrial-grade storage and robust
food safety systems will enable uninterrupted operations.
Last-mile delivery will be carried out through specially
engineered stainless-steel insulated vessels transported in a dedicated
fleet of GPS-enabled vehicles. In a pioneering move, Kanpur will
introduce electric vehicles (EVs) for meal distribution—enhancing
efficiency, sustainability, and environmental stewardship.
Sustainability will be at the core of the project,
with solar power installations, water recycling systems,
and a biogas plant converting organic waste into clean fuel. These
measures will create a facility that not only nourishes children but also minimises
its ecological footprint, serving as a model of innovation in social
infrastructure for replication across India and globally.
Commenting on the initiative, Mr.Teymur
Abasguliyev, Chief Executive Officer, Nayara Energy, said: “At Nayara
Energy, we believe that access to nutritious meals is fundamental for a child’s
growth, learning, and overall development. By funding this program in
partnership with The Akshaya Patra Foundation, we aim to address classroom
hunger and ensure that every child has the energy and opportunity to focus on
education. We are proud to support a sustainable initiative that will benefit
100,000 students daily and empower children to build a brighter, healthier
future.”
Sri Bharatarshabha Dasa, National President &
Trustee, The Akshaya Patra Foundation, said: This
partnership with Nayara Energy marks a defining moment in our journey to ensure
that ‘No child is deprived of education because of hunger’. The Kanpur
centralised kitchen, with its tenfold capacity expansion, is not just about
scale—it is about giving wings to the dreams of lakhs of children through
nutritious meals. By integrating technology, sustainability, and innovation,
this facility will stand as a model of public–private partnership for the world
to emulate. We are deeply grateful to Nayara Energy, especially Shri Achintya
Singh and his team, for their commitment to building a healthier, brighter
future for our children. We also extend our sincere gratitude to both the
Central Government and the Government of Uttar Pradesh for their unwavering
support and vision in strengthening the PM POSHAN scheme. Together, we are
laying the foundation for generations of well-nourished, well-educated citizens
who will shape the destiny of our nation.
With this initiative, Nayara Energy strengthens its
social impact journey, aligning corporate responsibility with nation-building
priorities. The Akshaya Patra Foundation continues to pursue its mission of
ensuring that no child is deprived of education because of hunger, working
alongside governments, corporates, and individuals in the spirit of
collaboration.
Together, this partnership is a testament to the
belief that nourished children are the foundation of an educated and
prosperous nation.
About Nayara Energy:
Nayara Energy is a new-age downstream energy and
petrochemicals company with a formidable presence spanning across the entire
hydrocarbon value chain, from Refining to Retail. Nayara Energy operates in
India for India driven by a relentless commitment to fuel the nation's energy
aspirations. At the heart of our operations lies the Vadinar refinery, India's
second-largest single-site refinery with a capacity of 20MMTPA.With over 6,500
Retail Outlets, we cater to the need for reliable and safe mobility across the
length and breadth of the country. We have adopted a phase wise asset
development strategy to enter the petrochemicals sector which will be a
significant step in our crude to chemicals journey. Through sustainable
development projects in Health and Nutrition, Education and Skill Development,
and Sustainable Livelihoods, Nayara Energy enhances the quality of life in the
communities it operates in. Delivering value for all our stakeholders is at the
very core of our beliefs and we are committed to providing the energy that
fuels the dreams of our employees, customers, partners and communities.
About The Akshaya Patra Foundation:
The Akshaya Patra Foundation is a social impact
organisation committed to addressing classroom hunger and supporting children’s
health and education. As an implementing partner of the Government of India’s
PM POSHAN scheme, Akshaya Patra serves 2.35 million mid-day meals to
beneficiary children across 25,000+ schools. Additionally, it provides 8 lakh
servings under the Morning Nutrition Programme, contributing to improved child
health, increased school enrolment, attendance and retention, and better
learning outcomes.
Akshaya Patra has established a robust operational
network, currently functioning in 78 locations across 16 states and 3 union
territories. It has set up 76 state-of-the-art centralised kitchens—globally
recognised for their scale, efficiency and food safety standards—and adopted
the decentralised model in two locations where setting up centralised
infrastructure is difficult due to difficult terrain and road connectivity.
Akshaya Patra continuously forges partnerships and
leverages technology to cater to millions of children and has served over 4
billion meals since 2000. The momentous milestone was commemorated at a special
event at the UN headquarters in New York on 2 April 2024.
For more details, please log on: www.akshayapatra.org