IISc to build research lab to study child food security, aims to eradicate classroom hunger

Impact assessment of mid-day meals and developing a socio-human model to build scenarios that can cause a positive social impact on a larger scale are some of the long-term plans of the lab.

Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore in collaboration with Akshaya Patra Foundation has announced that it has decided to set up Akshaya Patra Research Lab to conduct comprehensive studies in child food security, community participation for social welfare, elimination of malnutrition, policy development, and advocacy for battling hunger.

The aim of the foundation is to develop a knowledge epicenter with think tanks consisting of economists, philanthropists, research scientists, government officials, and global institutes for building its efforts towards global advocacy and ending classroom hunger and malnutrition. Impact assessment of mid-day meals and developing a socio-human model to build scenarios that can cause a positive social impact on a larger scale are some of the long-term plans of the lab.

Anjula Gurtoo, chair, The Centre for Society and Policy at the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, said, “Partnering with Akshaya Patra Foundation offers us yet another opportunity to serve the country by using research-backed methods to eradicate classroom hunger at the grassroots level. The young team comprising some of our PhD scholars, professors and project associates is dedicated to working towards child’s food security policy development and advocacy. The timing could not have been more accurate considering the pandemic’s multifold impact on health and nutrition.”

Shridhar Venkat, CEO, Akshaya Patra Foundation, said, “The COVID-19 pandemic did not only change how children learned and played, but also how they consumed nutritious meals.

“Together with IISc., we look forward to creating a country where the journey of realising a hunger-free India where children need not toil before they eat, where children need not earn before they learn. Thus, the focus on research is imperative than ever before.”

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