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New Delhi [India], January 29: The Akshaya Patra Foundation undertook the initiative of serving freshly cooked, wholesome meals by setting up a special food kiosk near the Ratia Centre on Promenade Street during the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2026, in Davos. Akshaya Patra served meals to more than a thousand visitors every day, demonstrating how food can be a powerful catalyst for dialogue, empathy, and action. The initiative drew the attention of leaders and influencers to the organization's efforts to provide food and nutrition security for children and communities.
The kiosk was inaugurated by Shri Chandrajit Banerjee, Director General, Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). Shri Pralhad Joshi, Hon'ble Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution & New and Renewable Energy, Government of India, visited the Akshaya Patra kiosk and appreciated the simplicity and nutritional value of the food. Shri Anoop Dhingra, Deputy Ambassador from India to Switzerland, also paid a visit to the kiosk and showed his support. Various international organizations, global delegates, policymakers, business leaders, and civil society representatives stopped by the kiosk and relished the hot, delicious Indian cuisine amid sub-zero temperatures at the summit.
The distinguished visitors viewed Akshaya Patra's school lunch program for children as an investment on par with physical infrastructure such as roads, power, and digital connectivity. Just as infrastructure enables economic productivity, nutrition enables cognitive development, learning outcomes, and long-term human capital formation. Without adequate nourishment, the returns on education systems and development spending remain fundamentally constrained.
Akshaya Patra's feeding initiative at Davos was praised as a powerful tool of cultural diplomacy, offering global participants an opportunity to experience India's civilizational values rooted in compassion and service. Conversations sparked around the meal counter extended beyond feeding programs to broader discussions on sustainable food systems, public-private collaboration, and scalable, cost-effective social infrastructure.

In the event, the Akshaya Patra team highlighted the intrinsic link between nutrition, education, and economic growth through the ancient Indian tradition of Annadaan (extensive food distribution) at one of the world's most influential global platforms. The act of serving meals in Davos was not just symbolic; it emphasized the conviction that no child should be deprived of education due to hunger, and that nutrition is fundamental to child development and welfare. Its presence at Davos 2026 reaffirmed that ensuring food and nutrition security is strategic nation-building and global development investment. The Foundation underscored a compelling message: investing in children's nutrition delivers some of the highest returns society can make, and the world has both the means and responsibility to act collectively.
Akshaya Patra has been proudly implementing the Government of India's flagship PM POSHAN program for the last 25 years by providing wholesome lunch to children studying in government schools. The organization currently serves over 2.3 million children every school day in 16 states and 3 Union Territories across India and aspires to feed 3 million children by 2030.
The Davos feeding program was organized in partnership with World Food Movement (WFM). Inspired by the success of Akshaya Patra, its founders established World Food Movement last year with the aim of nourishing students and communities in America and across the world. WFM will contribute extensively to global food and nutrition security so that young minds can learn with energy and joy, and communities across the world can find hope and dignity.
Sri Madhu Pandit Dasa, Founder and Chairman of Akshaya Patra and WFM, said, "Akshaya Patra is a social innovation that has harnessed the potential of a collaborative public-private partnership, integrating technology and good governance to serve hot, nutritious meals in Indian schools for 25 years. Our state-of-the-art, world-class kitchen facilities cook and distribute food at scale and are studied globally for their quality and efficiency. WFM will utilize the learning and expertise gathered from Akshaya Patra's feeding experience in its projects and initiatives.
We are grateful to everyone who visited our kiosk and extended their good wishes, support and encouragement to our feeding program. We believe that collaborations and partnerships are essential for knowledge sharing and ensuring the holistic development of children. We will be happy to partner with organizations and agencies to increase our contribution to food and nutrition security across the world."
Sri Naveena Neerada Dasa, Executive Director, Global Communications and Strategy, said, "We thank the organizers for giving us the opportunity to serve freshly cooked hot meals to delegates from across the globe during the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting at Davos. It was truly satisfying to see visitors enjoy hot, sumptuous, and tasty food during the cold winter week. We will take the constructive conversations initiated here forward and work for the betterment of children and society.
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