Akshaya Chaitanya is Feeding Thousands of Hungry Mouths with corporate collaborations

A free, healthy meal that is putting the needy at ease.

Reporter Madhu Khatri Theliveindia

New Delhi : Akshaya Chaitanya, an initiative of the HKM Charitable Foundation, is an NGO in Mumbai attempting to make food accessible to the needy across town by serving them hot, nutritious, and locally palatable meals. They are now catering to 13 hospitals in Mumbai with their “Swasthya Ahara program”.

Saraswati Brijesh Vishwakarma, a resident of Nalasopara, Mumbai shares how Akshaya Chaitanya is helping ease her burden, “Since August 18th, I have been running in and out of BYL Nair Hospital to receive treatment for my niece’s broken hip caused by a falling tree. My family merely earns 7,000 rupees a month, but my niece’s family in Uttar Pradesh relies entirely on her father, a daily wage labourer. Her family is living from hand to mouth. Consequently, I brought her to Mumbai for the procedure. However, even now I am running low on cash. The hospital bills have already exceeded more than INR 50,000. She had surgery recently and is now in the intensive care unit. Along with the cost of treatment, we also have to pay for travel, food, and medicine. We spend approximately 150 rupees on breakfast and dinner each day. The free food I get at lunchtime through Akshaya Chaitanya relieves me of all my tension, regardless of the difficulties I face throughout the day. At least this is the one time of the day when I can unwind and have a hearty meal without worrying about the cost. And every bite of this meal makes me feel content and loved.”

“Akshaya Chaitanya is offering free meals at Mumbai’s public hospitals not only to satiate hunger but also to encourage the caregivers’ efforts to look after the patient’s health and save for medication. With the support of our corporate partners like JB Pharma, Jewelex, Panasonic and Mahanagar Gas, we are able to provide free-of-cost meals to caregivers. After reaching 13 hospitals, 53 municipal schools and 3 slums in Mumbai, we are now looking forward to further expanding our initiative by collaborating with additional partners and supporters”, said Mr. Vikas Parchhanda, CEO of Akshaya Chaitanya.

Akshaya Chaitanya is expanding their reach all over Mumbai and Hyderabad. Serving 12,000 beneficiaries everyday, their state of the art kitchen has the capacity to reach 20,000 meals per day. Swasthya Ahara Program was launched with a view to release the burden of the expense a patient’s family incurs while struggling with the ailing health of a loved one. 

Highlighting the importance of the cause and how it complements company values, Nikhil Chopra, CEO of JB Pharma said, “We are happy to associate with Akshaya Chaitanya as these complimentary meals served in government hospitals serve as a lifeline for families in need. It serves our ethos of being Good People for Good Health and contributing towards the needs of the community around us.”

Mr. Yoshiyuki Kato, Managing Director, Panasonic Life Solutions India Pvt. Ltd. expressed that, “Many poor families in India use government hospitals to manage their medical costs and other expenses. At Panasonic, we believe that this might be a beneficial way to give back to society.”

It is also noteworthy to mention that Akshaya Chaitanya recently tied up with Mumbai’s largest government hospital, KEM, with breakfast meals supported by the Jewelex group, and lunch meals sponsored by Mahanagar Gas Ltd. 

About Akshaya Chaitanya:Akshaya Chaitanya is an initiative in Mumbai with the objective to eradicate hunger in a sustainable and scalable way. It is an initiative of HKM Charitable Foundation striving to provide food relief to marginalized sections of the society in the city of Mumbai. We are currently undertaking three key Feeding Initiatives: Swasthya Ahara – Government hospital feeding initiative providing free, unlimited, nutritious lunch to patient’s family that keeps them healthy and helps save for medication; Paushtik Ahara – Meals on wheels initiative providing free, unlimited, nutritious lunch combined with education prepares children in slum areas for a bright future; and Bal Shiksha Ahara – Government School Breakfast Initiative Providing free, millet based nutritious breakfast counters classroom hunger for better learning