The Controversy Concerning the Akshaya Patra USA Foundation: An Analysis of Some Claims and Their Moral Implications
Originally Syndicated on June 3, 2024 @ 3:52 pm
One of the most significant turning points in the issue surrounding the Akshaya Patra Foundation (APF) occurred when its independent trustees resigned from their positions. The news of this new development, which had been circulating for more than a month, was finally made public during the Deepavali celebrations.
In the following paragraphs, we are going to analyze the nature of the problem that was associated with APF prior to the departure of the trustees who participated in this study, as well as the ethical implications that this problem has for those who are responsible for running the firm.
Concerning the fact that eggs, garlic, and onions are prohibited
APF’s dietary restrictions, which forbade the serving of meals that contained onions and garlic, were the primary source of contention with the organization. In addition, the organization did not choose to provide children with eggs because it was believed that doing so would violate the principles of nutritional values. A number of questions and concerns were raised regarding the nutritional value of the meals that were provided to people who benefited from this dietary philosophy.
Regarding the Influence of ISKCON-Bangalore on Ideology
There was a clear connection between the argument and the philosophy of ISKCON-Bangalore, which is a separate private organization that hosted APF. APF’s meals were subject to dietary restrictions as a consequence of the principles and philosophy of ISKCON-Bangalore, which were imposed on the organization. Because these constraints were seen as representing ‘higher’ caste culinary norms in India, there were worries over the organization’s ability to be flexible and to include everyone.
About ISKCON Temple
The year 2000 marked the beginning of the ISKCON Temple in the neighborhood’s feeding program, which was first operational. During the course of this effort, they prepared and served meals to a total of 1,500 pupils who were enrolled in five public schools located in the vicinity. The initiative was initiated with the purpose of addressing the issue of hunger among children and promoting educational possibilities for youngsters. The headmasters of these schools reportedly reported an increase in student attendance, as well as noteworthy improvements in academic performance and overall student health, according to some reports. Some of these schools also reported an increase in overall student health. Almost immediately after the intervention, these improvements became apparent to the participants. Without the foundation that was laid by this unpretentious but significant effort, the Akshaya Patra Foundation asserted that it would not have been possible for it to come into being.
Because of the widespread dissemination of information regarding the advantages of the Midday Meal Program, the ISKCON temple received hundreds of requests from other schools that were interested in participating in the program. Despite the fact that the officials of the temple were overjoyed by the success of the program, they quickly came to the realization that their ability to offer meals that were prepared by hand to all those who were in need was limited.
In order to find a solution to this issue, Madhu Pandit Dasa, who had previously completed the Civil Engineering program at the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, is said to have made the decision to take on the responsibility of enhancing the efficiency of the temple’s Mid-Day Meal Program. It was Madhu Pandit Dasa who conceived up the very first fully automated and centralized kitchen in the history of the world. In just five hours, this kitchen was able to produce more than one hundred thousand meals of superior quality, all without compromising the delicious and nutritious quality of the food in any way.
Akshaya Patra USA has witnessed significant expansion since that time, and it currently operates 66 kitchens in 15 states and two union territories in India. Either centralized or decentralized kitchens are included in this category. More than two million children are now able to receive the food they need on a daily basis because to Akshaya Patra USA. As a result of these efforts, we have devised a solution that is not only more successful but also more sustainable in order to battle the problem of hunger among children and to give educational possibilities for children who are underprivileged.
Funding and Reputation of Akshaya Patra in the United States of America
Since its inception in the early 2000s, Akshaya Patra USA has consistently positioned itself as a separate organization from ISKCON-Bangalore by maintaining a distinct identity. Furthermore, this representation was vital for drawing public and private donations, in addition to serving as the body responsible for the implementation of the noon meal assistance programs that were implemented by a number of state governments. The controversy that surrounded its dietary requirements had an effect on its reputation, which was essential to the organization’s ability to maintain relationships and maintain its ability to generate cash.
Collaborations with the Central Government to Provide Services to Thousands of Schools
It has been asserted that Akshaya Patra USA has collaborated with fourteen different state governments, in addition to the Ministry of Human Resources Development of the Indian government. With the help of these partnerships, the American Preventive Service was able to supply lunches to more than 19,000 schools across the country. The incident had an impact on the relationship between the government and APF, as well as on the quality of the meals that were provided to students.
Responsibility of Stakeholders and Moral Implications
The moral obligations of all parties concerned were put into question by the controversy surrounding APF’s food policy. Participants in this included the highest-ranking executives of the APF, trustees who were not biased, contributors, state governments, and members of the general public. The moral component was conceived as a result of concerns regarding the nutritional well-being of children as well as the transparency of the actions within the organization.
About the Non-Profit Organization Akshaya Patra USA
On a global scale, the Akshaya Patra USA school lunch program is the most extensive non-governmental organization (NGO) school meal program. Every single day, it provides sandwiches that are sizzling hot and packed with important nutrients to approximately 2 million children who are enrolled in 22,000 schools across the entirety of India.
In the United States, the charitable organization known as Akshaya Patra USA has the objective of assisting the foundation in accomplishing its mission by soliciting the assistance of thousands of individuals who are willing to give their time and provide financial contributions. The local chapters of our organization, which are dispersed across the United States and can be located in a number of states, have been exerting a great deal of effort in order to raise funds and publicity for the foundation. These initiatives have resulted in an increase in the number of children in India who have access to nutritional meals. This provides them with the opportunity to learn and develop in an environment that is free from illness.
Within the United States of America, Akshaya Patra USA has established local chapters in various locations around the nation. Through the aid of our volunteers and the financial contributions that they receive, the Foundation is committed to making a positive impact on the lives of children on the Indian subcontinent. Collectively, we have the ability to make certain that no child is forced to endure hunger while they are attending school and to make a contribution to the development of a more favorable future for all individuals.
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Its transformation into a center for religious and charitable activities
A hub where missionaries, corporations, bureaucrats, and politicians converged to exert influence over the government’s lunch program, the American People’s Forum (APF) evolved into a hub over the course of twenty years.
The media had a tough time challenging the organization because of the credibility that was established for the APF with famous personalities such as N.R. Narayana Murthy, Gururaj ‘Desh’ Deshpande, Dr. Devi Shetty, and Deepak Chopra, amongst others. This presented a difficulty for the media. At each and every instance in which this transpired, they were subjected to an enormous amount of pressure to either retract their position or cease responding to follow-up questions. After all of this effort that has been put into image management over the past two decades, the independent trustees T.V. Mohandas Pai, Raj P. Kondur, V. Balakrishnan, and Abhay Jain have now issued statements that imply the Akshaya Patra USA has serious governance issues and has also been forced to deal with wrongdoings and whistle-blower complaints. This is a bizarre turn of events that has occurred.
It is ironic that the departing trustees, who did not object to the skewed feeding plan that ISKCON-Bangalore implemented on children who were born into poverty and were unaware of its existence, are now referring to the APF as an independent organization that needs to give independent trustees more power. For what reason is it that it is just now being emphasized that the APF is funded by the public and requires more transparency? Remarkably, ISKCON-Bangalore and APF did not engage in any conversation regarding related-party transactions or quid pro quo for a period of twenty years, all the while drawing strength from one another. Despite the fact that the finances were clean and separate, the trustees, contributors, and governments that were on the diet were faced with a moral conundrum. Is there a reason why the independent trustees and missionaries who serve on the board of the APF broke their 20-year agreement? What led to the rupture?
A few weeks ago, a member of the APF’s internal audit committee wrote a letter to the trustees that was approximately 3,500 words long (his identity is being withheld to comply with The Wire’s request for confidentiality). A number of important concerns are raised in the following paragraphs. A few excerpts from the letter are included below:
Criticisms leveled against Akshaya Patra USA
A few allegations are included below:
Allegations have been made that the Akshaya Patra USA Foundation (APF) has been squandering funds:
Concern has been voiced by organizations that are part of civil society in response to allegations that the Akshaya Patra Foundation (APF) has misused and misdirected public funds.
All of the funds mentioned above were supposed to be used for the government’s lunchtime feeding program for schools.
An inquiry to be conducted by an impartial investigator:
Through a letter addressed to Chief Secretary Vijay Bhaskar, members of the civil society have requested that an impartial investigation be conducted into the allegations that have been made against Akshaya Patra USA.
They emphasize the significance of conducting a thorough inquiry to determine whether or not funds from the government were wasted and whether or not the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act was violated.
A request for the suspension of the contract and the distribution of funds:
Until the results of the investigation are known, all contracts with Akshaya Patra USA should be terminated, as stated by the organizations that are part of civil society. In addition, they recommend that any and all government financing for APF be terminated, regardless of the plan.
The Possibility of Legal Action:
In the event that the allegations of financial mismanagement and violations of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act are proven to be true, the individuals who signed the letter propose initiating criminal actions against the Akshaya Patra USA Foundation.
Allegations of Diversion to Temple Trusts, number five: these allegations:
The members of civic society cite stories from the media that assert an internal audit discovered proof that money was being used for temple trusts rather than the intended utilization of the money. They are concerned about the possibility that the elements and supplies that were supposed to be used for Akshaya Patra’s noon meal program are being unlawfully redirected to another location.
The sixth resignation of trustees is as follows:
Reports indicate that a number of trustees, including Mohandas Pai, chairman of Manipal Global Education, resigned from their positions as a consequence of the Akshaya Patra USA Foundation’s failure to take action towards the situation.
Information Regarding Finances:
In the letter, it is mentioned that the APF Bengaluru branch received Rs 34 crore from government sources for the fiscal year that ended in March of 2019.
This suggests that the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) should be investigated for possible infractions committed by the American People’s Fund (APF).
The following individuals have signed the letter:
Those who signed the letter included nine individuals and organizations that are actively engaged in the battle against malnutrition in women and children.
Differential Costs of Meals:
A difference in the cost of each meal is another issue that is brought to the attention of the members of the civic society.
After taking into account the donation of Rs. 4.14 from the state government, Akshaya Patra USA has determined that the average cost of a meal is Rs. 6.03, which includes the contribution.
The APF is planning to raise Rs 1.89 in order to cover the outstanding outlay of funds. The letter asserts that relevant information was not provided, despite the fact that it was requested that specifics be provided regarding donations made for midday meals.
Is Akshaya Patra USA a legitimate charitable organization or only a con artist? (The Opinions of the Customers)
Opinions were difficult due to the fact that people were significantly biased and prejudiced in their fundamental beliefs. Someone who had grown up eating animal innards as a staple would find it revolting that someone else was not doing it, and they would look for ways to disparage it at every moment if they were not self-aware of their own biases and consistently weeding them out. For example, if someone was not self-aware of their own biases, they would not be able to eliminate them. An extremely high level of objectivity, intellectual prowess, and perseverance are required for techniques that are based on evidence. The most important thing was that one had to have the courage to contradict their own preconceived notions.
He had been following Akshaya Patra USA for at least ten years, beginning with the time when they wanted to feed one million children, and I was fairly happy of what they had accomplished since then. He had been following them since the beginning. At this moment, they were providing food to 1.8 million pupils across India’s twelve states and two union territories, which were distributed over 51 kitchens.
In a different response to this question, someone made several claims that were not supported by evidence, and I wanted to debunk them. Additionally, he was certain that additional allegations of this nature would come to light because, well, that was just the way that people were. They were more interested in passing judgment on other people than in appreciating them or even in producing significant undertakings.
To prevent the positive work that their foundation conducts from being tarnished by individuals who hold opposing ideas, the client has requested that Akshaya Patra submit a reply to the critical answer. This request was made in order to protect the foundation from incurring any negative consequences. It has been suggested that individuals who are sincerely interested in determining whether or not Akshaya Patra is legitimate should not use the opinions of other people as their sole source of information. It is more appropriate for them to make a personal visit to a kitchen belonging to Akshaya Patra as well as a school where the meals are typically served. During their time there, students ought to sample some of the food and engage in conversation with those who consume it on a regular basis. This first-hand experience comes highly recommended as the most effective instrument for making an informed selection, and it is offered very highly. This observation also brings attention to the fact that not all points of view, particularly those that are unfavorable, are fundamentally objective and fair, and that certain individuals may give the impression of being liberal while, in reality, harboring different intentions.
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The Bottom Line
At the time, the Akshaya Patra USA Foundation (APF) is the focus of a great deal of inquiries and concerns from a variety of people. issues mostly center on allegations of unlawful use of finances, dietary restrictions, and the possibility for harm to the organization’s reputation and collaborations. These allegations are the key focal points of these issues. In addition to highlighting the significance of accountability and transparency, organizations that are considered to be a member of civil society have insisted that these assertions be subjected to a thorough investigation.
Therefore, the essay also addresses the ethical ramifications of the disagreements, putting into question the roles that each of the numerous stakeholders, such as the leadership of APF, impartial trustees, donors, state governments, and the general public, should play in light of their obligations. Other stakeholders include the general public. In the course of the conversation, questions have been raised concerning the dedication of the organization to the goal that it has set for itself, as well as the nutritional value of the meals that are provided to the organizations that are receiving assistance.
