Deutsche Bank and Akshaya Patra launch new mid-day meal kitchen in Pune to serve 25,000 schoolchildren

Deutsche Bank, as part of its CSR programme in India, and The Akshaya Patra Foundation (an implementing partner of the Government of India’s PM POSHAN scheme) inaugurated a state-of-the-art centralised kitchen in Shivajinagar, Pune, on April 7 to support school nutrition and education in the region.

The kitchen was inaugurated by Kaushik Shaparia, CEO, Deutsche Bank Group, India & Emerging Asia along with Benjamin Alka, Global Head of Corporate Affairs & Strategy, Deutsche Bank. Representing The Akshaya Patra Foundation were Shridhar Venkat, CEO; Shri Bharatarshabha Dasa, National President; and Shri Sampati Dasa, Regional President - Pune.

A new dawn for child nutrition in Pune

Designed to provide hot, nutritious, and wholesome mid-day meals to 25,000 school children across 29 government and government‑aided schools in Pune, the centralised kitchen will play a vital role in strengthening classroom attendance and nutrition outcomes, as well as expand access to education for these children in the region.

Spread across a built-up area of 20,000 sq. ft., the facility has been designed to high standards of food safety, hygiene, and operational efficiency. Meals will be distributed within a 20-kilometre radius using electric meal-delivery vehicles, reflecting a commitment to environmental sustainability alongside social impact.

This facility marks a significant step in strengthening Pune’s school meal ecosystem. Spread across a built‑up area of 20,000 sq. ft., the kitchen has been designed to high standards of food safety, hygiene, and operational efficiency. Meals will be distributed within a 20‑kilometre radius using a fleet of electric meal‑delivery vehicles, reflecting the bank’s commitment to environmental sustainability alongside social impact.

Speaking at the inauguration of the facility, Kaushik Shaparia, CEO, Deutsche Bank Group, India & Emerging Asia, said: “At Deutsche Bank, we have always believed that the most enduring investments are those made in people. The inauguration of this kitchen in Pune reflects the depth of our partnership with Akshaya Patra and our shared conviction that no child’s education should be compromised by hunger.

“As India’s future is shaped in its classrooms today, this kitchen represents our commitment to ensuring that more children in Pune have access to the nutrition and education they deserve. It is also deeply gratifying that our partnership with Akshaya Patra has now crossed the landmark of 100 million meals served.” Kaushik Shaparia

Shridhar Venkat, CEO, The Akshaya Patra Foundation, said, “Each kitchen we build is a commitment - to the child, to the classroom, and to the nation. This Pune facility stands as a testament to what strong public-private partnerships can achieve under the PM POSHAN framework. We are deeply grateful to Deutsche Bank for their continued support.and to the Government of India and the Government of Maharashtra for their trust and collaboration.”

The launch of the Pune kitchen marks a significant milestone in The Akshaya Patra Foundation’s efforts to scale high‑impact nutrition interventions across India. It reinforces a shared vision of building a nourished and educated nation, advancing the broader goal of a developed India through sustained investments in child nutrition and education.

A decade of impact: The Deutsche Bank - Akshaya Patra partnership

Deutsche Bank’s partnership with Akshaya Patra Foudation began in 2014, anchored in the belief that no child should be denied an education because of hunger. Over the past decade, the bank has supported mid‑day meals for nearly 5,00,000 children across Gandhinagar, Jaipur, Bengaluru, and Pune, while also extending relief support during times of disaster. In January 2026, the partnership reached a milestone of 100 million meals served, commemorated at a special event in Jaipur.