Pune: Deutsche Bank has strengthened its commitment to child welfare and education through the launch of a new centralised kitchen in Pune, in partnership with The Akshaya Patra Foundation.
The initiative, aligned with the PM POSHAN scheme, aims to tackle classroom hunger and improve access to nutrition for schoolchildren.
The newly inaugurated facility, located in Shivajinagar, Pune, will serve hot, nutritious meals to approximately 25,000 children across 29 government and government-aided schools.
This Deutsche Bank-supported initiative is expected to significantly boost classroom attendance and enhance learning outcomes by addressing hunger among students.
The kitchen was inaugurated by Kaushik Shaparia, CEO of Deutsche Bank Group, India & Emerging Asia, along with Benjamin Alka. Representing The Akshaya Patra Foundation were Shridhar Venkat, Bharatarshabha Dasa, and Sampati Dasa.
Spanning a built-up area of 20,000 sq. ft., the facility has been designed to meet high standards of food safety, hygiene, and operational efficiency.
Meals from this Deutsche Bank-backed kitchen will be distributed within a 20-kilometre radius using electric delivery vehicles, reinforcing a dual focus on social impact and environmental sustainability.
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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.”
Shridhar Venkat, CEO, The Akshaya Patra Foundation, added: “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.”
This launch marks a key milestone in scaling nutrition interventions across India, with Deutsche Bank continuing to play a pivotal role in supporting mid-day meal programmes. The initiative reflects a shared vision of building a nourished and educated nation through sustained investments in child nutrition.
The Akshaya Patra Foundation – Deutsche Bank Partnership
Deutsche Bank’s partnership with The Akshaya Patra Foundation dates back to 2014 and is rooted in the belief that no child should be deprived of education due to hunger.
Over the past decade, Deutsche Bank has supported mid-day meal programmes benefiting nearly 5,00,000 children across cities such as Gandhinagar, Jaipur, Bengaluru, and Pune. The partnership also extended support during times of disaster.
In January 2026, Deutsche Bank achieved a significant milestone of serving 100 million meals under this collaboration, commemorated at a special event in Jaipur, further reinforcing its long-term commitment to social impact in India.
