Axalta Coating Systems Partners with Akshaya Patra’s Food Program to Support Children in Gujarat, India

March 13, 2015 | By Business Wire News

MUMBAI, India

Axalta Coating Systems (NYSE: AXTA) has partnered with Akshaya Patra’s food program to support children’s education in the community surrounding Axalta’s Savli manufacturing plant in the state of Gujarat in India. The funding is part of a national program that helps Akshaya Patra feed millions of children in India who have the zeal to learn and the potential to contribute to India’s sustainable social and economic development. Axalta is proud to associate itself with an NGO that supports the community and supports Akshaya Patra’s vision that “no child should be deprived of education due to hunger.”

From Left to Right: Representing Akshaya Patra Mr. Dilip Soni, Mr. Anil Rawat, Mr. Tushar Dange and Ms. Moushumi Banerjee and representing Axalta Mr. Sandeep Batwe, Mr. Uday Kumar and Mr. Santosh Tipnis (Photo: Business Wire)

Akshaya Patra marked the beginning of its Mid-day Meal Scheme in Bangalore in 2000 with an initial outreach to 1500 children. The success of this pilot model was adopted by the government of India in an initiative that led to the formation of a public-private partnership between Akshaya Patra and the government. Today, in what have now become its iconic blue buses, Akshaya Patra delivers mid-day meals to 1.3 million children in India across 20 locations in nine states. The organization runs 16 centralized technology-intensive kitchens in eight states, preparing 100,000 meals per kitchen every morning in a span of four hours, ensuring economies of scale.

Mr. Vinay Rajadhyaksha, Managing Director of Axalta’s operations in India, said, “Community development and associating ourselves with social causes which ensure sustainable development are part of Axalta’s values as a company. We are proud that we can contribute to society, and especially to the communities where we operate, by associating ourselves with an NGO that supports children and provides some of the resources they need for their education and, in turn, for them to contribute to the nation as they grow into adults. Reaching out to children in Gujarat with nutritious meals through Akshaya Patra helps us give back to the society in the best possible manner.”

Mr. Jaganmohan Krishna Dasa, President, The Akshaya Patra said, “We at Akshaya Patra want to transform lives of millions of children across India. With our vision that no child shall be deprived of education because of hunger, we are moving towards our ambitious goal of reaching five million children by 2020. I thank Axalta Coating Systems for lending its hand in this journey. Its partnership further strengthens our determination to serve children better.”

Akshaya Patra has demonstrated the merits of its initiatives by increasing school attendance, decreasing the drop-out rate, fueling enrollment in schools and creating socialization among children, all consequences of improving their nutrition. Axalta’s support to Akshaya Patra in Gujarat is an ideal synergy between the two organizations which are focused on having a positive impact on the development of communities where they operate.

About Axalta Coating Systems

Axalta is a leading global company focused solely on coatings and providing customers with innovative, colorful, beautiful and sustainable solutions. From light OEM vehicles, commercial vehicles and refinish applications to electric motors, buildings and pipelines, our coatings are designed to prevent corrosion, increase productivity and enable the materials we coat to last longer. With more than 145 years of experience in the coatings industry, the 12,000 people of Axalta continue to find ways to serve our more than 120,000 customers in 130 countries better every day with the finest coatings, application systems and technology. For more information visit axaltacoatingsystems.com and follow us @axalta on Twitter.