Located on the outskirts of the city of ruins, Hampi, Karnataka, the Government Higher Primary School (GHPS) Mallappangudi is a major educational institute for local residents. The school runs classes from 1st to 10th, including Anganwadi, and has a strength of around 200 students. Among them is an 8th-grade student named Gayatri H. 

Gayatri lives in a joint family that includes her grandmother, parents and two siblings. “My mother, Suma, works on a daily wage basis at my school. She is a food distributor with Akshaya Patra on a government lease. My father, Timappa, works as a daily wage worker in a local bakery. Both my siblings are younger than me and study in the same school. My sister is in the 4th grade, and my brother is in the 5th grade.”

From a young age, Gayatri was drawn to finance and management. Her dream is to become a bank manager, a goal inspired by her desire to achieve financial stability and give her parents a better life. "I want to be a bank manager because it offers a way to make an impact and provide for my family," she explains.  

In addition to her career ambitions, Gayatri has a passion for poetry, particularly in Kannada. She actively participates in school-level competitions, showcasing her talent and love for the language. "I enjoy writing and reciting poetry. It’s a way for me to express my thoughts and emotions," Gayatri says. “I have started participating in school-level competitions for the last couple of years. Although I haven’t won so far, I learned a lot from it. This helps me polish my poetry skills,” she adds while showing one of her poems. 

Gayatri and her siblings are beneficiaries of Akshaya Patra’s school feeding programme. They receive hot, tasty and nutritious meals every school day. Speaking of the meals, Gayatri says, "My favourite meal at school is on Fridays when we get puliogere. It's delicious. I eagerly wait for it every week.” Akshaya Patra’s endeavours to curb classroom hunger is an effort to implement PM POSHAN Abhiyaan in government schools across India. These efforts synchronise with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 2 and 4) - eradicating hunger and providing quality education. With Akshaya Patra’s meals, 2.25 million children like Gayatri and her siblings get nourished every school day. The balanced meals give them the energy to study with a focus in class and work hard towards achieving their aspirations.