2008-05-15 15:00:46 - Rotary International, has conferred this year's VOCATIONAL EXCELLANCE AWARD to The Akshaya Patra Foundation, for its yeomen service to humanity in providing mid-day meals to needy school children and enhancing the literacy efforts of the government.

Rotary International, one of the biggest non-governmental organisations engaged in serving humanity since the last 100 years, has conferred this year's VOCATIONAL EXCELLANCE AWARD to The Akshaya Patra Foundation, for its yeomen service to humanity in providing mid-day meals to needy school children and enhancing the literacy efforts of the government. The foundation currently runs the world's largest-run school meal

programme feeding over 8,50,000 school children every day. The award in the form of a citation and the prestigious Shri Subramanyam and Smt. Gangamma Holla Rolling Shield was presented by Rajendra Rai, District Governor, Rotary Bangalore Orchards, to Shri Madhu pandit Das, Chairman of Akshaya Patra Foundation.
The award is given out every year by Rotary Orchards. Last year the Shri Subramanyam and Smt. Gangamma Holla Rolling Shield was given to Nature Cure Hospital run by Trust headed by Shri Veerendra Hegde, Dharmasthala..
Commenting on the reasons for the award being given to Akshaya Patra, Rajendra Rai said , 'The Akshaya Patra Foundation has been chosen for this prestigious award because of the yeomen service rendered in launching mid-day meal scheme to school children throughout the country and thereby being responsible for causing a revolution in the filed of primary education. We are pleased and proud to present this Award to Akshaya Patra. Recently it has been chosen by Howard University for its business studies.'
The Akshaya Patra Foundation presently feeds wholesome, nutritious and hygienically cooked school meals for over 8,50,000 children across 14 locations that span six states of India. All the meals are cooked in the most technologically advanced kitchens. Recently the Foundation had the added honour of being chosen for a rare case study by Harvard Business School, USA. By 2010 the organization is targeting one million students in India.
Receiving the award, Shri Madhu pandit Das said, 'We are happy to receive this award from Rotary International, an organisation which has established itself as a beacon of hope and service for all mankind all over the globe. Their recognition of our humble efforts is truly a privileged honour that which will serve to push us with greater zeal to achieve our larger goals of ridding this nation of hungry children and illiteracy. Today, we have reached over 8.50 lakh children and aim to touch 10 Lakh (one million) children by the end of 2010. We are confident that the illumination of our efforts through the recognition of international organisations such as Rotary International will enable us to reach out to more supporters and stakeholders
ABOUT ROTARY INTERNATIONAL
The organisation was founded by Paul Harris in the year 1905. Since then the organisation has spread all over world and today it has its presence in 168 countries. Presently it has more than 1.2 million members who are called Rotarians. Besides it also operates through Rotractors and Interactors.
In India Rotary International has contributed immensely to few humanitarian programmes particularly in the field of literacy, health and hunger. The United Nations has entrusted the task of eradication of polio from this world to Rotary International. Rotary Orchards is a part of district 3190. Some of the significant contributions by District 3190 is the establishment of Hospice, a hospital which takes care of cancer patients, vocational training centers, eye hospitals, dialysis centers, old age homes, construction of school buildings, book banks etc.