Deutsche Bank and Akshaya Patra Launch Pune Kitchen to Tackle Classroom Hunger

Pune : Reinforcing a shared commitment to child nutrition and education, Deutsche Bank, as part of its CSR programme in India, in partnership with The Akshaya Patra Foundation—an implementing partner of the Government of India’s PM POSHAN scheme—today inaugurated a state of the art centralised kitchen facility in Shivajinagar, Pune.

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

Designed to serve hot, nutritious, and wholesome meals to 25,000 children across 29 government and government aided schools in Pune, the kitchen will play a vital role in strengthening classroom attendance, improving nutrition outcomes, and expanding access to education for children in the region.

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 the highest 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, underscoring a strong commitment to environmental sustainability alongside social impact.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. 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.”

Shri Sampati Dasa, President, Pune Cluster, 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.

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