Music composer and singer
An award-winning music composer and playback singer, Shankar Mahadevan first associated with Akshaya Patra during our 1 Billionth Meal commemoration. He joined hands with renowned lyricist, Javed Akhtar for ‘Gyan ki Roshni’ - a musical track as a tribute to our 1 billion meals commemoration event. Since then, he has become one of our ardent supporters. He is the founder-trustee of the Shankar Mahadevan Academy.
Music composer, singer and lyricist
AR Rahman is a world-renowned music composer, record producer, singer and songwriter. One of the top-selling recording artists, he has won several awards on the international stage, including the Academy Award (Oscars), Golden Globe and BAFTA. A six-time National Film Award winner, he graciously offered his composition, 'Naan Yen Piranthen,' as the background score for Akshaya Patra's short film titled The Possibilities.
Celebrity chef, TV personality and entrepreneur
Chef Sanjeev Kapoor is one of the most recognised faces of Indian television. A Padma Shri award winner, he introduced millions of Indians to the delights of Indian and international cuisines through his much-acclaimed series, Khana Khazana. He has represented India at the World Association of Chefs’ Societies event in South Korea. Sanjeev has had a long-standing association with Akshaya Patra and has conducted fundraisers for us in India and abroad.
Executive chef - Vivanta by Taj
Selvaraju Ramasamy is the Executive Chef at Vivanta by Taj in Bengaluru. In his culinary journey with the Taj Group, spanning over two decades, he has served renowned personalities, including Amitabh Bachchan and former President Abdul Kalam Azad. He has been supporting us since the inception of ‘Giving Every Dream a Chance’ - a mentorship initiative for beneficiary children. He says, “Akshaya Patra gives me an opportunity to support children in the pursuit of their dreams.”
Filmmaker and screenwriter
SS Rajamouli is a famous Indian filmmaker and screenwriter. He has directed some of the blockbusters of Indian cinema, including the much-acclaimed Baahubali series. Rajamouli visited our hi-tech kitchen in Narsingi, Telangana, with the Baahubali team. He was highly impressed with the unit. He has also made a significant contribution to our #iShareMyLunch campaign, enabling us to feed 2,500 school children for an entire year.
Music composer, music producer and musician
Ram Sampath is a famous music composer, music producer and musician. He and Sona Mohapatra have enthralled the audience on several occasions through musical events, such as ‘Chords of Giving’, to support Akshaya Patra’s efforts. During the COVID-19 pandemic, they organised an online fundraising concert to support our food assistance efforts to help vulnerable populations.
Singer, music composer and lyricist
Sona Mohapatra is a renowned singer, music composer and lyricist. She has supported Akshaya Patra through concerts and online appeals on several occasions. In 2017, she and Ram Sampath conducted the Chords of Giving musical event, the proceed of which went to our school lunch programme. More recently, during the COVID-19 pandemic, they raised funds for our food assistance efforts through an online concert.
Film actor
Vivek Oberoi is a film actor who has worked in Hindi, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada and Tamil films. A passionate supporter of Akshaya Patra, he has spoken about us on various platforms. He has also visited our kitchen in the past and is very appreciative of the working methodology we have adopted, coordinating with the government, bringing together resources, raising funds and executing its school lunch programme.
Film actress
Shraddha Kapoor is an Indian actor who has featured in Forbes India's Celebrity 100 list and Forbes Asia’s 30 Under 30 list. She has been a vocal supporter of Akshaya Patra. In one of the episodes of the reality TV show, Dus Ka Dum, Shraddha Kapoor enthusiastically announced her support for Akshaya Patra and donated her entire winning amount towards our feeding programme.
Australian cricketer
Brett Lee is a renowned Australian cricketing legend with a keen interest in music. He came on board as the goodwill ambassador for our music outreach programme under our Giving Every Dream a Chance (GEDAC) initiative. As a part of this, Brett Lee and his Mewsic Foundation supported Akshaya Patra beneficiaries interested in learning music.
Indian Cricketer
Kona Srikar Bharat is a proficient wicket-keeper and batsman with the Indian cricket team. He has a distinct record of being the first wicket-keeper to score a triple hundred in the Ranji Trophy. He is also one of Akshaya Patra’s brand ambassadors and has demonstrated his support towards nutrition for education by serving mid-day meals to students in Kakinada. We are grateful for his contribution and look forward to an enduring collaboration with him.
Indian Cricketer
Mithali Raj is a former Indian cricketer and has been the India women's national cricket team Captain from 2004 to 2022. In Women's International Cricket, she has a record for scoring the highest number of runs. She has won several International and National awards, including the Wisden Leading Woman Cricketer in the World (2017), the Arjuna Award (2003), the Padma Shri (2015) and Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna (2021). ESPN has ranked her as one of the greatest female cricketers of all time. As a Goodwill Ambassador of Akshaya Patra, she is dedicated to nourishing young minds and ensuring that every child has the opportunity to thrive.