What began in 2012 as a humble effort to provide morning nutrition to 50 children in a Bengaluru village has evolved into a nationwide movement, reaching millions across India. In an exclusive interview with The Pioneer, Sadguru Sri Madhusudan Sai, founder of the Sri Sathya Sai Annapoorna Trust, reflects on the transformative journey of the Annapoorna Morning Nutrition Programme. He also shares insights into the programme’s spiritual foundations, challenges faced, and the collaborative efforts that have propelled its success
Tejal Sinha
In a quiet village near Bengaluru, a small group of volunteers began serving morning nutrition to just 50 children. It was 2012, and this act of kindness was driven by a deep understanding of a stark reality — children were coming to school hungry, unable to concentrate, and falling behind in class. What started as a modest initiative soon grew into a nationwide movement. By 2015, this effort had formally taken shape as the Sri Sathya Sai Annapoorna Trust. Today, it reaches millions of children across India.
In this exclusive conversation with The Pioneer, Sadguru Sri Madhusudan Sai, the visionary behind the Sri Madhusudan Sai Global Humanitarian Mission and the Annapoorna Trust, shares the origins, challenges, and deep spiritual roots of the initiative that is quietly transforming the health and education landscape for underprivileged children in India.
Reflecting on the inception of the programme, Sadguru recounts, “The Annapoorna Morning Nutrition Programme began in 2012 when a group of volunteers started serving Morning Nutrition to 50 children in a village near Bengaluru. Inspired by the need to combat classroom hunger, the initiative aimed to support underprivileged children who came to school on an empty stomach.”
What began as a small service-oriented gesture soon expanded beyond expectations. “What started as a small act of service quickly grew into a nationwide movement, officially becoming the Sri Sathya Sai Annapoorna Trust in 2015,” he explains. “Today, it nourishes millions of children across India, enhancing their health, school attendance, and academic performance.”
The role of Sadguru Sri Madhusudan Sai’s vision has been pivotal in shaping the Trust’s mission. His guidance steered the programme beyond food distribution into the realm of holistic development. “My focus has always been on ‘Love All, Serve All’ and on holistic human development,” he shares. “I envisioned nutrition as the foundation for a child’s education, health, and dignity.”
This vision brought a transformational depth to the initiative. “Under my leadership, the Trust adopted a compassionate, service-oriented model—anchored in the belief that no child should go to school hungry. We emphasized scalability with sustainability, forming partnerships with governments and communities to expand outreach while maintaining quality and care.”
Beyond visible hunger, Sadguru emphasizes the invisible threat of malnutrition. “‘Hidden hunger’ refers to a form of malnutrition caused by a lack of essential vitamins and minerals in the diet—despite consuming enough calories,” he explains. “Children suffering from hidden hunger may not appear underfed but face serious developmental issues like poor immunity, fatigue, stunted growth, and learning difficulties.”
The Annapoorna Trust addressed this silent epidemic with a health drink fortified with essential nutrients. “Many children in India go to school on an empty stomach or eat food that fills them but lacks vital nutrients. Our programme tackles this invisible crisis head-on—ensuring children don’t just survive but flourish.”
The Annapoorna Trust is deeply influenced by the spiritual philosophies of Sathya Sai Baba and the living vision of Sri Madhusudan Sai. “The spiritual guidance of Sri Madhusudan Sai, rooted in the legacy of Sathya Sai Baba, profoundly shapes the Trust’s ethos and decision-making,” Sadguru reflects.
“This guidance influences every aspect of our work: a people-first approach with the child’s well-being at the core, integrity and transparency in our operations, inclusiveness without discrimination, and a focus on sustainable solutions that create long-lasting impact.” He adds that spirituality is not abstract in this context — it is the grounding principle that ensures the work is humane, ethical, and enduring.
The values of compassion and service aren’t reserved for special occasions — they are woven into the Trust’s daily operations. “Our child-centric approach ensures that every step, from planning menus to serving food, is guided by empathy and care,” says Sadguru.
He emphasizes that volunteers are trained in the spirit of seva (selfless service), treating every meal as an act of love. “Leadership is compassionate, with leaders stepping into the field, staying connected, and making decisions with both heart and head. We also incorporate mindfulness practices like reflection and gratitude to keep the team anchored in purpose.”
From 50 children to over 10 million, the Annapoorna Programme’s journey of scale is remarkable. But such growth requires smart operational strategies. “We’ve built deep public-private-government partnerships to leverage infrastructure and resources,” Sadguru notes. “Decentralized operational hubs, using school kitchens, reduce transport delays and allow regional menu adaptations.”
Maintaining quality is crucial. “Standardized yet flexible SOPs ensure consistency in hygiene and nutrition. Community and school ownership fosters trust and long-term sustainability.” Innovations like fortified ingredients help address hidden hunger more effectively, while an ever-growing volunteer network bridges operational gaps.
Sadguru underscores the role of strategic partnerships. “We start by aligning on a common purpose—ensuring no child goes to school hungry,” he says. “Government partnerships enable rapid scaling, while we provide operational expertise.”
Corporates and CSR partners find a transparent, impactful platform in the Trust. “We show them measurable results. Faith-based groups aligned with our values bring longevity and commitment. Our collaborations with education and health experts enhance credibility and outcomes.”
With over 600 volunteers and 1,50,000 school support staff, the Trust runs on human compassion. Recruiting and retaining such numbers isn’t easy, but Sadguru credits their success to a spiritually rooted model.
“We communicate our mission clearly and engage communities aligned with the value of seva,” he shares. Training involves hands-on mentorship and continuous learning. “We focus on recognition, offer leadership roles, and emphasize spiritual community through team-building activities and satsangs.”
Volunteer motivation goes beyond tasks — it’s about creating community. “We keep everyone connected to the cause by reinforcing our mission and values,” Sadguru explains. “We build belonging through inclusive activities, recognize contributions regularly, and ensure feedback and emotional support are part of our framework.”
A significant operational challenge occurred during a supply chain disruption, which delayed the delivery of micronutrient health mixes to remote areas. “We maintained transparent communication, reorganized logistics, and sourced local alternatives. Volunteers and school staff stepped up, ensuring children didn’t go without nutrition.”
The experience underscored the importance of flexibility, communication, and community. “It also showed us the need for proactive contingency planning, which we’ve since strengthened.”
The Trust is already venturing into broader community health initiatives, such as RO-based water plants, school toilets, and health screenings. “We want to expand using digital health solutions like telemedicine, data analytics to track wellness, and collaborations with health tech startups,” says Sadguru. “Holistic wellness, including mental health and fitness, is also a focus.”
Looking ahead, the Trust aims to reach 100 million children and include Anganwadis. “It’s ambitious,” Sadguru admits, “but achievable.” Challenges such as logistics, quality control, and resource constraints will be met with strategic decentralization, robust training, community ownership, and technology-driven monitoring systems.
Funding a mission of this scale requires strategic diversification. “We focus on government partnerships, CSR funding, and individual donations. We’re also working to build an endowment fund and explore social impact bonds,” he reveals.
“Transparency in finances and impact reporting builds trust with donors, while cost-efficient operations ensure every rupee goes further.”
Asked about the key ingredients of the programme’s success, Sadguru speaks with clarity and conviction. “It’s our clear mission, community involvement, strategic partnerships, dedicated volunteers, commitment to quality, financial resilience, and above all, our spiritual foundation.”
To ensure a lasting legacy, the Trust will continue to empower communities, foster long-term partnerships, and harness technology — all while staying rooted in love, compassion, and service.
