Akshaya Patra Foundation USA Boston Gala Raises $1 Million to Support School Meals in India
BOSTON — Nearly 400 community leaders, philanthropists, entrepreneurs, and supporters gathered at the annual Akshaya Patra Foundation USA Boston Gala on Sunday, May 3, raising about $1 million to support school meal initiatives and educational access for children in India.
Held at the Boston Marriott Burlington, the evening highlighted the growing momentum behind the Foundation’s mission to eliminate classroom hunger and help children remain in school through access to nutritious mid-day meals.
“It was a truly heartwarming evening, filled with genuine affection and connection,” said Desh Deshpande, Chairman Emeritus of the Foundation. “I am always moved by how the Boston community comes together year after year to support school-going children in India, helping them access education and break the cycle of poverty. Having Vinita Gupta with us made the evening even more special — guests were deeply inspired by her remarkable life journey.”
The gala featured keynote remarks from Vinita Gupta in a fireside chat style with Deshpande. Her personal story and reflections on leadership and resilience resonated strongly with attendees. The evening also included a musical performance by Shirish Nimgaonkar.
Organizers noted that the gala continues to grow each year, bringing together civic leaders, business executives, youth volunteers, and long-time supporters committed to expanding the Foundation’s impact. The event also showcased the measurable success of Akshaya Patra’s school meal programs and encouraged continued community engagement through sponsorships, partnerships, and volunteer leadership.
The Boston Chapter recognized the contributions of its leadership team and volunteers, including Dr. Manju Sheth, Rajeev Jain, Samantha Ganglani, Yoshika Sherring, Ajita Bhat, Nidhi Singhal, Bela Chandhok, Venkat Kolluri, Neena Grover, and Rakesh Kamdar, among others.
Akshaya Patra Foundation USA supports one of the world’s largest school meal programs, serving more than 2.35 million children across over 24,000 government schools in India every day through a network of centralized kitchens. The organization has served more than 5 billion meals globally.
More information about the Foundation is available at Akshaya Patra Foundation USA.
