Infosys founder NR Narayana Murthy said that he “experienced hunger” for 120 hours non-stop when he was hitchhiking in Europe 50 years ago. Murthy said the same while addressing a special event ‘Achievements in Food Security: India’s Strides Towards Sustainable Development Goals’, hosted by the Permanent Mission of India to the UN at the UN headquarters.
Commemorating the milestone four billionth meal served by Indian NGO — The Akshaya Patra Foundation –, the event showcased India’s innovative strategies, policies and achievements in food security and nutrition and their alignment with SDGs, particularly the target of zero hunger.
“Most of you have not experienced hunger. I have,” Murthy said while addressing an audience of UN diplomats, officials, academia, civil society organisations and members of the Indian diaspora during the event.
He said that 50 years ago, “I experienced hunger for 120 hours non-stop when I was hitchhiking in Europe and at a place called Nish, a border town between Bulgaria and what was then Yugoslavia and today Serbia,” Murthy said.
“Most Indians here and I have received good quality and highly subsidised education from the Indian government. Therefore, as civilised people, we must show gratitude to our nation and help the future generation of these helpless, poor children to get (a) good education,” he said.
Adding that success is bringing a smile to the face of helpless people, Murthy said, “Akshaya Patra is hugely successful by that count. If our poor children lose hope and faith in our society, they will turn to violence and destroy all the good that India has achieved and is hoping to achieve.”
Praises government’s Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana
The Infosys founder emphasised that India has been making good economic progress due to the success of the government’s economic policies, vision and the hard work of Indian entrepreneurs and citizens as well as the foreign direct investment from multinationals.
He noted that the government of India runs the world’s largest food security programme, Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY), which benefits over 800 million people.
As part of it, the school feeding programme PM POSHAN (Poshan Shakti Nirman) scheme directly benefits over 118 million children.
Murthy said he is “very impressed” that Akshaya Patra has used technology in a big way to ensure that food is clean and delivered hot and dust-free.
“Any rational discussion on such an initiative would make people say it is impossible. However, the Akshaya Patra leadership and the team have proved that a plausible impossibility is better than a convincing possibility,” Murthy said.
(With agency inputs)
Commemorating the milestone four billionth meal served by Indian NGO — The Akshaya Patra Foundation –, the event showcased India’s innovative strategies, policies and achievements in food security and nutrition and their alignment with SDGs, particularly the target of zero hunger.
“Most of you have not experienced hunger. I have,” Murthy said while addressing an audience of UN diplomats, officials, academia, civil society organisations and members of the Indian diaspora during the event.
He said that 50 years ago, “I experienced hunger for 120 hours non-stop when I was hitchhiking in Europe and at a place called Nish, a border town between Bulgaria and what was then Yugoslavia and today Serbia,” Murthy said.
“Most Indians here and I have received good quality and highly subsidised education from the Indian government. Therefore, as civilised people, we must show gratitude to our nation and help the future generation of these helpless, poor children to get (a) good education,” he said.
Adding that success is bringing a smile to the face of helpless people, Murthy said, “Akshaya Patra is hugely successful by that count. If our poor children lose hope and faith in our society, they will turn to violence and destroy all the good that India has achieved and is hoping to achieve.”
Praises government’s Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana
The Infosys founder emphasised that India has been making good economic progress due to the success of the government’s economic policies, vision and the hard work of Indian entrepreneurs and citizens as well as the foreign direct investment from multinationals.
He noted that the government of India runs the world’s largest food security programme, Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY), which benefits over 800 million people.
As part of it, the school feeding programme PM POSHAN (Poshan Shakti Nirman) scheme directly benefits over 118 million children.
Murthy said he is “very impressed” that Akshaya Patra has used technology in a big way to ensure that food is clean and delivered hot and dust-free.
“Any rational discussion on such an initiative would make people say it is impossible. However, the Akshaya Patra leadership and the team have proved that a plausible impossibility is better than a convincing possibility,” Murthy said.
(With agency inputs)