Watch the full interview with Dr. Rachana Kulkarni, Akshaya Patra Foundation.

Good afternoon, friends. You’re listening to EBC Radio 1170 AM, Apki Choice, and I’m your host, Alka Ji. Today we will be talking to an extraordinary leader, a changemaker, Dr. Rachana Kulkarni. She is a renowned cardiologist in New Jersey, the president and CEO of Medicor Cardiology, and also serves as director of cardiovascular services at Robert Wood Johnson Barnabas Health System.

Beyond her medical achievements, she is a true philanthropist, passionate about furthering education for children. Dr. Kulkarni has been instrumental in starting and growing the Tri-State chapter of Akshaya Patra, and today she also serves as vice chair of Akshaya Patra USA.

So join me in welcoming Dr. Rachana Kulkarni on EBC Radio.

Dr. Kulkarni, how are you doing, Alkadi?

First of all, thank you very much for giving me this opportunity and thank you for your kind words. I’m doing well and I wish well to all the listeners.

Well, that’s very nice of you, Dr. Kulkarni. So as we know, you have been so active in the community and, of course, in your profession, which is amazing—saving people’s hearts and health. And along with that, you do such philanthropic work. And when you talk about education, you know that for children, education is something very, very important, right?

So I want to hear a lot about all that from you. Can you tell our listeners about Akshaya Patra and the mission behind it? Because I know you are vice chair of Akshaya Patra USA, I want to hear from you.

Certainly, Alkadi. Um, Akshaya Patra is the world’s largest NGO midday meal program. It started in Bangalore with a very simple vision: no child in India shall be deprived of education because of hunger. Our goal is to eliminate classroom hunger by implementing and supplementing the midday meal program.

So, you know, if a child is sent to school hungry, needless to say, they cannot focus on education. What Akshaya Patra does is provide nutritious hot meals, unlimited hot meals, which anchor the child to study in government and government-aided schools. And we have seen over the last 20 years that by providing unlimited hot meals to a child, the child is retained in the education system, graduation rates improve, and eventually, the child can have an opportunity to break the cycle of poverty.

So today we serve children in 72 highly mechanized kitchens across 25,000 schools in India. And we do it very cost-effectively: $20 feeds a child for a full school year. We believe that this work enhances not only the overall health and well-being of a child, it improves overall school nourishment and graduation scores. We give them the opportunity to pursue their dreams for a brighter future and pull their families out of poverty.

Very good. That’s the mission. Yeah, I mean, without food, you cannot focus—if you don’t eat lunch one day, we just go crazy, right? At the office or wherever you are, you don’t get your cup of tea, you just feel, “Oh my God.” So yeah, these kids don’t get meals or they don’t have enough to fill their stomachs or provide food for the family. That is very sad. But yeah, actually, Akshaya Patra provides these midday meals to children for education, which is amazing.

So what inspired you personally to get involved with Akshaya Patra here in the Tri-State area?

Thank you for asking that question because I always felt that we are here because of our education. Education is why our community is one of the very successful communities in the US, because we are all highly educated. My education came from India. The government of India did subsidize my education through scholarships. But I made all my fortune here, like many of us who migrated.

True, so I always feel, what better way than supporting the same vehicle that brought me here, and play an instrumental role in my success, which is education. I was trying to find a way to channel my energies into giving back, because you always worry, right? How can I find a good medium? I want all the money and efforts I give to go toward the right cause.

When I was doing my research, a friend invited us for lunch, and I said, “You know, this is perfect.” Akshaya Patra combines nourishment with education to make a better future for children. I thought it was the perfect vehicle for me to channel my energy.

And fortunately, I met a lot of like-minded people who shared a vision of societal upliftment. That was the genesis of the Tri-State chapter of Akshaya Patra.

That is amazing and how well you have put it together. You found the right organization where you could be part of it, donate, and start working toward service. You have brought it so far. This organization is now well-known in the Tri-State area and even across the USA and globally.

I would say now this is getting very popular. The mission is very clear and simple, and $20 feeds a child for the entire school year—what more could you ask?

So if you look at the impact that this small contribution makes, you wonder how you cannot make that contribution, right?

Yes. Even a small donation makes a big difference. If you cannot help 100 people, help one. Twenty dollars can change one child’s life. And if so many people come together, we can serve thousands.

Can you give the number—how many children are we feeding every day?

Sure. Today, we are feeding 2.2 million children every day in over 23,000 schools across 75 locations in India. And I’m very proud to say in the last 20 years, we haven’t missed a meal.

I would like to ask all your listeners for support so that we can continue our mission and vision.

So friends, you have just heard Dr. Rachana Kulkarni. She is vice chair of Akshaya Patra USA. She came here with an education, and after achieving her professional success, she wanted to give back. Food is such an important aspect—if your stomach is empty, you cannot focus.

Akshaya Patra is the right organization. We encourage you to come forward and support. To know more, you can go to apusa.org, which is Akshaya Patra USA’s website. There you can find more information, join the team, or volunteer.

What can attendees expect at your annual fundraising gala, and how will it support the mission?

Great question, Alkadi. We are hosting our annual fundraising gala on October 11th at the Newark Airport Marriott from 5:00 to 10:00 PM. It will be an amazing evening full of heartwarming stories and entertainment. Penn Masala, one of the biggest South Asian a cappella groups, will be performing. It will be a fun-filled evening spent with like-minded people. I encourage all of you to come and support our mission.

If someone wants to become a sponsor or buy tickets, how can they do that?

Tickets for the gala are $500 per person, and there are sponsorship opportunities. You can find all the information at apusa.org under the events tab. Akshaya Patra New Jersey also has a Facebook page with details.

I always feel that whatever I have given to Akshaya Patra, I have gotten so much back. The happiness and satisfaction from making an impact on that scale is enormous. You see children who were five or ten years old grow up to support their families and even become part of the Akshaya Patra team. It feels so proud—your contributions truly go to a good cause.

Over the last decade, I have visited kitchens in India. The last kitchen I visited was in Bangalore, which is one of the most state-of-the-art kitchens. There is a whole wall of success stories. In the kitchen, we get fresh food from farms. One beneficiary has now become a landowner and provides vegetables to the kitchen. Another beneficiary who managed a kitchen has grown into a successful entrepreneur. These children have become professionals and are now paying it forward. It feels like a full circle.

You can see many impact and success stories on the Akshaya Patra website.

Friends, we are talking to Dr. Rachana Kulkarni, vice chair of Akshaya Patra USA. By profession, she is a renowned cardiologist in New Jersey, president and CEO of Medical Cardiology, and director of cardiovascular services at Robert Wood Johnson Barnabas Health System.

Dr. Kulkarni, you are such a busy professional woman—how do you balance your medical career with your charitable work?

You know, if you are passionate about something, if the work gives you pleasure and satisfaction, it doesn’t feel like work—it becomes enjoyment. Being passionate about the cause and joining like-minded people makes it a pleasure to be part of the Akshaya Patra family. Everyone shares the common goal of societal upliftment and supporting education in children.

Money is important for any nonprofit, but with Akshaya Patra, there is so much more you can contribute—time and talent are just as valuable. Anyone who wants to work for the mission can find a way to contribute.

Once again, I want to remind you that the gala is happening on October 11. You can find complete information at apusa.org, and there is full transparency—every dollar goes directly to Akshaya Patra. They are listed with the highest ratings on Charity Navigator and other charity review organizations.

As many listeners may know, in April 2024, Akshaya Patra was recognized at the United Nations for their contribution to addressing world hunger and education. They have served over 5 billion meals, a truly proud moment. In June 2025, they were awarded the Full Safety Culture Award in India.

Dr. Kulkarni, your leadership and the transparency of the organization are truly inspiring. Thank you so much for coming on EBC Radio.

Thank you, Alkadi. My personal invite to all listeners is to support, get involved, and attend the gala.