Celebrating the Power of Poshan: A Milestone in Nourishing India's Children
On September 12th, 2024 a momentous event titled “The Power of Poshan” was held in Sathya Sai Grama, featuring the esteemed South African cricketer Jonty Rhodes as the chief guest. This gathering celebrated a remarkable milestone achieved by the Sri Sathya Sai Annapoorna Trust providing Morning Nutrition to over ‘One Million’ children attending government schools across India. The program was designed not only to alleviate hunger but also to combat the issue of hidden hunger, which affects children’s overall well-being. The initiative now reaches children across 25 states and 4 union territories.
Event Overview
The event was a vibrant collaboration display, bringing together government officials, corporate partners, and representatives from scientific institutions who have supported the Trust. A particularly inspiring aspect was the involvement of farmers, notably the Tiptur farmers’ consortium, which has dedicated itself to growing Ragi specifically for this initiative. The Annapoorna team is committed to ensuring fair compensation for these farmers.
Opening Remarks – By Mr. Anand K Kadali (Trustee & Secretary, Sri Sathya Sai Annapoorna Trust)
The event commenced with opening remarks from Mr. Anand K. Kadali, who delivered a captivating presentation that visually highlighted the initiative’s journey. He began by emphasizing the significance of starting with ‘1 Visionary Leader’, our dear founder – Sadguru Sri Madhusudan Sai! Then he went on to add zeros. He shared how the movement grew through incremental support, symbolized by adding zeros:
- 10 Foundations first offered their backing.
- 100+ Corporates joined in, contributing CSR funds, logistics, and supply chain support.
- 1,000 farmers partnered with the initiative.
- 10,000 Good Samaritan donors pledged support.
- 100,000 Government Schools are now reached by Annapoorna.
- 10,00,000 Support Staff and workers have put their effort to support the cause
- 1,00,00,000 (1 crore) Children through this initiative are provided with free morning nutrition which is served with great love.
Talk by Jhonty Rhodes – Former South African Cricketer
Next, we had a talk by the chief guest of the day, Mr. Jhonty Rhodes. Regarded as one of the greatest fielders in cricket history, Mr. Jonty Rhodes played for the South African national team for 11 years and currently serves as a coach for the Lucknow Super Giants franchise.
He expressed his appreciation for the team he witnessed seated in the hall during the event, emphasizing the immense value that a TEAM can bring. Mr. Rhodes was particularly moved by the recognition and respect shown to the farmers, which he found noteworthy. He extended his gratitude to all partners—government officials, corporates, farmers, and supporters—for coming together to achieve such remarkable work.
He concluded with a powerful statement: “Yes! India is ‘Incredible India’; but this team, which has impacted over one crore children in just ten years, is undoubtedly the ‘Most Incredible’ in the world!”
Speech by Dr YS Patil IAS, the Commissioner for Agriculture, Karnataka
Subsequently, we had a speech by Dr. YS Patil, IAS, who spoke greatly about the program and its reach. He specifically expressed his delight at the involvement of the Tiptur farmers, with whom he had previously collaborated as Assistant Commissioner.
He noted that Karnataka is the “Role Model” state for the Annapoorna Morning Nutrition program, showcasing the potential for impactful collaboration between agriculture and nutrition initiatives.
Dr. Patil was praised by Sadguru Sri Madhusudan Sai in his address recognizing the officers like him as the true sons of the soil who stay attuned to the needs of the community. Sri BN Narasimha Murthy, the philosopher-Chancellor of the Sri Sathya Sai University for Human Excellence, echoed this sentiment, highlighting Dr. Patil’s humility and referring to him as ‘Illumined’, ‘Able’, and ‘Service-Minded’.
Dr. Tara Satyavati – Director Indian Institute of Millets Research, Hyderabad
Following this we had another dignitary, Dr. Tara Satyavati who highlighted the significance of millets in our diet. In this regard, she recollected that during her recent meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he stressed the need to provide not just food, but nutritious food for 1.4 billion people. Her admiration for the team’s efforts was evident, as she commended their progress in this initiative which had already penetrated the society in this direction, and thanked Sadguru for his guidance in driving it forward.
She mentioned that India cultivates nine different types of millets, with three major ones being Ragi, Jowar, and Bajra. Ragi, in particular, is rich in calcium. The SaiSure drink, made from Ragi, is especially noteworthy, as one glass is equivalent to three glasses of milk in calcium content, providing three times the calcium benefit.
She was truly impressed by the facilities and services being offered, noting that when bhakti enters food, it transforms into prasad. She described the atmosphere as positively charged and expressed gratitude for being part of the event.
In conclusion, she mentioned that IIMR to ready to partner and share knowledge with Annapoorna Trust which is a service-oriented organization.
Mementos Distribution
In a heartfelt gesture of appreciation, our beloved founder, Sadguru Sri Madhusudan Sai, presented mementos to the esteemed representatives of Government Bodies, Corporates, and Partners. Each recipient was warmly welcomed on stage to receive these tokens of recognition. These mementos not only symbolize our collaboration but also nurture the bonds we share, reflecting our united commitment to achieving common goals with compassion and pride
Sadguru Sri Madusudan Sai Speech
Our dear founder Sadguru Sri Madusudan Sai who was the visionary leader behind the Nutrition Program commenced his profound speech by stating that in the 1960s, former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri had coined the slogan “Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan,” recognizing the vital roles of soldiers and farmers in society. Sadguru pointed out that while soldiers received the respect they deserved, farmers were still seeking their rightful honour.
He expressed profound gratitude to farmers, who were the backbone of nutrition programs. Sadguru reflected on how temples had historically served as centers for food, education, and health, but that recent commercialization had led to nutritional challenges, especially for children from disadvantaged backgrounds.
He highlighted that the gathering of educators, officials, corporate partners, and farmers celebrated the original spirit of India.
Sadguru mentioned that through these collective efforts, over 100,000 schools and nearly 10 million children have already benefited from the nutrition initiative. He reminded everyone that meaningful change often begins with small acts of kindness and a sense of shared responsibility.
He acknowledged and thanked all those contributing to this mission, particularly the farmers whose labour sustains everyone, and expressed a shared aspiration for a future where every child was nourished and empowered.
Conclusion
The day ended with the formal vote of thanks by Mr. Sai Prasad, Trustee, Annapoorna Trust.
Finally, the National Anthem brought the curtains down on a truly inspiring, unique, divine celebration, marking the ‘Month of Poshan’ in the hamlet of Sathya Sai Grama!
