Bestselling author Rashmi Bansal has published a new book God’s Own Kitchen: The Inspiring Story of Akshaya Patra.  The book explores the unique model and scale achieved by the Akshaya Patra Foundation’s school meal program which serves hot school meals to 1.6 million children across India.

God’s Own Kitchen chronicles the success and scale of Akshaya Patra’s school meal program, from its early years as a pilot program serving 1,500 children in 5 schools from one kitchen in Bangalore to what it is today – an internationally recognized non-profit serving 1.6 million children in 13,529 schools in India from 27 kitchen facilities in 11 states.  Akshaya Patra was founded by CEOs and devotees of ISKCON, and God’s Own Kitchen explores how these unlikely partners created a highly successful school meal program that adapts the best of entrepreneurship principles with the focus of devotion.

Rashmi Bansal is an author, motivational speaker and entrepreneur.  She has already written seven books on entrepreneurship – Stay Hungry Stay Foolish, Connect the Dots, I Have a Dream, Poor Little Rich Slum, Follow Every Rainbow, Take me Home, Arise Awake—before writing God’s Own Kitchen. Her first book Stay Hungry Stay Foolish sold 100,000 copies in its first 10 months, eventually going on to be the second-best selling work of non-fiction in India with over 350,000 copies sold. 

Established in 2000, Akshaya Patra began by serving 1,500 in 5 schools in Bangalore. Today Akshaya Patra is the largest NGO-run school meal programs in the world and serves over 1.6 million children daily in over 11,501 schools through 27 kitchens in eleven states in India.  Akshaya Patra USA is the US branch of Akshaya Patra and raises funds and awareness for the school meal program in India.

Akshaya Patra has received international recognition for its life-changing mission.  In 2016, Akshaya Patra’s Founder Madhu Pandit Dasa received the Padma Shri Award, India’s fourth highest civilian award, for his work with Akshaya Patra.  Shridhar Venkat, CEO of Akshaya Patra India, was recognized as being among the 50 Most Impactful Social Innovators in the world. Akshaya Patra was recently awarded the Nikkei Asia Prize, an award established to recognize an organization’s outstanding achievements that contribute to the region’s sustainable development. For more information about Akshaya Patra, please visit www.foodforeducation.org.

The Boston Volunteer Chapter will be holding its 11^th Annual Benefit Gala on Friday, April 28^th at the Cambridge Marriott Boston.  Chef Sanjeev Kapoor will be the event’s keynote speaker.  HGTV and Food Network interior designer Taniya Nayak will serve as the Master of Ceremonies.  American Idol finalist Sonika Vaid will provide entertainment.

The event will be held at the Cambridge Marriott Boston in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and will begin with a welcome reception. Over 500 business, non-profit, government, and philanthropic leaders from around the region are expected to attend and support the organization’s dual mission of addressing childhood hunger and malnutrition and to promote education for underserved children in India.    

This year’s event will feature an evening of networking, entertainment, and dinner.

For more information: Ankita@apusa.org  or 781-454-7247

To register: Piyali@apusa.org or 781-462-8454

To register or purchase tickets: www.foodforeducation.org/2017-boston-gala

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