State-of-the-art kitchen to provide 100,000 children with nutritious meals daily, ensuring healthier learning and brighter futures through technology-driven, sustainable solutions. L-R: Santosh Rai (Asst. Dir. Basic Education), Sri Bharatarshabha Dasa (Ntnl President, TAPF), Dhananjay Ganjoo (CMO, TAPF), Sandeep Singh (UP Minister), Achintya Singh (Nayara). 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 (Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with NRDPL and PTI takes no editorial responsibility for the same.). PTI