Madhu Pandit Dasa

Madhu Pandit Dasa, formerly named Madhusudan S, was born in 1956 in the Thiruvananthapuram district of Kerala, India. A spiritual leader of the Bangalore branch of the Hare Krishna movement, he also initiated Akshaya Patra Foundation, which is today the largest school meal program in the world (recognized by Limca Book of Records).
Early life
Madhu Pandit Dasa was awarded a scholarship by the reputed National Talent Search Examination of India while pursuing his undergraduate studies. He joined Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, did his Civil Engineering there. While at the institute, he devoted himself to spiritual development and the study of the Bhagavad Gita. In particular, he followed the teachings of A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada as told in “Bhagavad Gita, As It Is”.
Career
After graduating in 1981, he dedicated his life to serve the mission of Swami Prabhupada and has done so selflessly for three decades.
Spiritualily
In 1990 he took up the challenge of building The ISKCON Sri Radha Krishna Temple, one of the most iconic cultural and spiritual centers of India. Starting with a fledgling operation in two rented rooms, he inspired and led a team of selfless volunteers in the Rs. 400 million project in what was then one of India’s largest fundraising efforts. He successfully set up Sri Radha Krishna Temple at a on a seven acre plot in the heart of Bangalore. It was inaugurated in 1997 by the then President of India Dr. Shankar Dayal Sharma.
Akshaya Patra
Madhu Pandit Das then set about addressing the issue of supporting education through a mid day meal program. He worked at leveraging technology and philanthropy towards alleviating hunger of underprivileged children by helping set up The Akshaya Patra Foundation. Now considered the world’s largest NGO-run school meal program (Limca Book of Records), it began in 2000 as a small scheme that fed just 1,500 children around Bangalore. In less than 10 years The Akshaya Patra Foundation has become one of India’s best conceived, technology-intensive social sector initiatives.
Reaching out to a million school children in eighteen locations across India, the growth of The Akshaya Patra Foundation demonstrates Madhu Pandit Dasa’s organizational ability in bringing together the best technology, innovation and practices of corporate governance.
For the leveraging of technology in the education sector, The Akshaya Patra Foundation has earned itself the coveted Tech Awards Laureates 2009.
His vision is to scale Akshaya Patra Program by 2020 to feed five million underprivileged children in India.
Initiator
Inspired by the idea of simple living and high thinking, Madhu Pandit Dasa envisioned an eco-friendly and sustainable organic farm.
He initiated the Hare Krishna Nature Farm in Mysore to impact rural development through sustainable agriculture. The Nature Farm believes in making a difference to the lives of farmers, who comprise over 55% of the nation’s population.
It is founded on the understanding that the diverse culture of farming rests with the rural population.
The motto being, ‘Taking prosperity to the door steps of farmers’.
The Hare Krishna Nature Farmgrew to be a model and a case study in sustainable organic farming in Karnataka, specific to the farmers of dry lands. Since then, thousands of farmers all over India have benefitted from this project.
Awards and honors
*Rotary Bangalore Citycentre RI Dist 3190: Man of the Year - 1997
*Rotary Bangalore Brigades: Plaque of Honour - 13 July 2001
*Governor’s Award 26 January 2002
*Rajyotsava Award, Govt. of Karnataka: Nov-03
*Kannada Koota, New York, Inc. :umanitarian Award, 2003
*Karnataka Sahitya Parishat: Karnatakashree - 21 December 2003
*Rotary International Dist 3190: Excellence in Community
*Service Award - 2003-04 (Jan 2004)
*Independence Day Award, 2006 Govt. of Rajasthan
*Rotary Bangalore Orchards: Vocational Excellence Award - 2008
*CNBC India Business Leader Award 2008 under Social Enterprise category
*Distinguished Alumnus Award 2010, IIT Mumbai
Reference
*http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/programmes/outlook/news/story/2007/07/070718_das_india.shtml
*http://www.livemint.com/2008/01/10235259/iskcon-gives-children-a-reason.html
*http://www.alumni.iitb.ac.in/dist_alumni/dist_alu_2010.htm
*http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bangalore/From-IIT-Mumbai-to-the-feet-of-Lord-Krishna/articleshow/5233448.cms
*http://www.madhupanditdasa.info/
*http://www.iskconbangalore.org
*http://www.akshayapatra.org/

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