McKesson Compile Charitable Grant Promotes the Health of the Bangalore Community

In September, we celebrated the opening of our new Bangalore office, marking McKesson’s expanded physical presence in India. With around 80 team members in the Bangalore area, we invested in a new workspace to support their efforts in providing high-quality patient and provider data and analytics services, which helps our customers develop and commercialize life-saving innovations.

As part of McKesson’s mission to advance health outcomes for all, we believe in investing in the community outside of our physical footprint. Alongside the office’s grand opening, McKesson Compile began an extensive vetting process of local public health organizations to identify one that could make a great impact on the health of the Bangalore community, which led us to the Akshaya Patra Foundation.

“We were inspired by Akshaya Patra’s impactful work and dedication to addressing classroom hunger and promoting education,” said Karthi Swaminathan, Chief Technology Officer and General Manager, India, McKesson Compile. “We are proud to contribute to a brighter future for children across the country.”

Akshaya Patra, a nonprofit organization based in Bangalore, operates one of the world’s largest midday meal programs in pursuit of its mission to end childhood hunger. Employees in over 75 centralized kitchens across the country provide free school lunches to over 2.2 million children in India each day. The Akshaya Patra Foundation also runs several other food operations including programs for maternal and infant nutrition and emergency response following natural disasters. In 2024, the organization received recognition from the United Nations for its contribution to achieving food security across India and surpassing four billion meals served.

Free school lunches impact childhood health and education in Bangalore and across India, where food insecurity is a major public health issue. A quarter of the world’s undernourished people live in India today and 38% of children in India are chronically malnourished. Malnutrition increases susceptibility to illness and the chances of dropping out early from school.

For families and communities without guaranteed access to three nutritious meals a day, providing mid-day meals at schools helps combat malnutrition and encourages school attendance, enrollment and retention. Consistent lunches address classroom hunger so students can focus on learning and improve their academic performance. Providing students with nutritious meals allows them to build a strong foundation that supports not only their education but a healthier, more promising future.

McKesson Compile’s grant of $20,000 to Akshaya Patra will potentially provide over 200,000 meals to children in need. By contributing to the foundation’s work, we are not only helping to address immediate needs but also investing in the long-term health of children and families in Bangalore and throughout India. McKesson Compile is honored to make this contribution to the Akshaya Patra Foundation as part of our vision for a healthier tomorrow.