Mangaluru: The Akshaya Patra Foundation, an NGO headquartered in Bengaluru, known for fighting issues like hunger and malnutrition in India, will lay foundation stone for its mega kitchen to cook over 50,000 meals in Kodman village (behind Canara Engineering College) on Friday.

Since 2000, the foundation helps fight hunger and bring children to school through implementation of mid-day meal scheme in schools.

Foundation Mangaluru president Shri Karunya Sagar Dasa told media on Thursday, the Akshaya Patra Foundation with GT Foundation and Diya Systems Pvt Ltd will lay the foundation for a mega kitchen in Mangaluru. This kitchen will serve mid-day meals to over 50,000 children starting 2019.

The occasion will be blessed by Palimaru Mutt seer Vidyadheesha Threertha, Adamaru Mutt junior seer Ishapriya Theertha and Mangaluru diocese Bishop Rev Dr Aloysius Paul D’Souza.

Akshaya Patra Foundation vice chairman Chanchalapathi Dasa, district-in-charge minister Ramanath Rai, Food and Civil Supplies Minister U T Khader, MRPL MD H Kumar, Karnataka Bank CEO M S Mahabaleshwara Bhat, Nitte chancellor Dr N Vinaya Hegde, Yenepoya chancellor Yenepoya Abdulla Kunhi, ZP president Meenakshi Shantigodu and deputy commissioner Sasikanth Senthil S will be present.