BENGALURU (India CSR): The ‘Golf for Good’ charity tournament in aid of The Akshaya Patra Foundation, supported by Neokred’s CSR initiative, The Empact Project, was successfully organised at the Prestige Golfshire Club in Bengaluru on 21 March 2025. The event brought together corporate leaders, philanthropists, and sports enthusiasts and successfully raised funds to feed 1,400 children with hot, nutritious mid-day meals (approx. 3,20,122 meals) to government & government-aided school children across Karnataka for the upcoming academic year.
Eradicating Classroom Hunger
The charity tournament, aimed at eradicating classroom hunger and supporting children’s nutrition and education, witnessed participation from prominent personalities, including Dinesh Malkani – Founder & CEO of Smarten Spaces and former President of Cisco; Vaibhav Gupta, MD, Mairav Group of Companies; Group CEO, Greenways Group of Companies; Gopinath Ambadithody, VP of the Embassy Group; and Ishwar Subramanian, Director of V Guard Industries Ltd; Saif Mekhri; Nelson Dias.
Supporting Mid-Day Meals
The proceeds from this event will directly support Akshaya Patra’s efforts as the implementing partner of the Government of India’s flagship school lunch programme, the PM POSHAN Abhiyaan (Mid-Day Meals Programme). Akshaya Patra currently serves 2.25 million children in 78 locations across 16 states and 3 UTs in India every day. Every participant teed off for a cause, knowing that each stroke brought children a step closer to a future where they have nutritious food and quality education.
A Leader’s Perspective
Dinesh Malkani – Founder & CEO of Smarten Spaces and former President of Cisco, said, “Golf for Good is more than just a tournament – it’s a movement that brings purpose to the fairway. As a long-time well-wisher and supporter of The Akshaya Patra Foundation, I’m honoured to curate this initiative that unites leaders and changemakers for a cause that touches millions of young lives. Feeding children is foundational to shaping a better future, and it’s heartening to see the community come together with such passion and commitment. Together, we are not just playing the game – we are changing the game for children across India.”
Empact Project’s Vision
Adding to this, Tarun Nazare, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Neokred, said, “The Empact Project was created to bridge the gap between change-enablers and change-makers. The success of today’s event exemplifies our core belief that businesses and individuals have the privilege and responsibility to drive positive change. ‘Golf for Good’ was more than a tournament; it was a movement where every participant became part of something bigger, ensuring that no child has to choose between hunger and education. This event marks the beginning of ‘The Empact Project’s’ commitment to making every effort count towards meaningful impact.”
Akshaya Patra’s Gratitude
Shridhar Venkat, CEO of The Akshaya Patra Foundation, expressed gratitude for the overwhelming response to the event. He said, “Golf for Good has been a testament to the power of collective action. Every swing taken today contributed to a child’s future, ensuring that no child has to study on an empty stomach. We are deeply grateful to all the participants and supporters for making this event a grand success. The success of this event is a validation of our long-term commitment to eradicating classroom hunger through collective action.
Acknowledging Support Partners
We are deeply grateful to our impact partner, ‘The Empact Project’—a Neokred initiative, for making this possible. We are also thankful to our venue partner, Prestige Golfshire Club, print partner, Deccan Herald, radio partner, Radio City, and support partner, TiE Bangalore, for their invaluable contributions in turning this idea into reality. A special thanks to Al Mouj for sponsoring the tournament prizes and making it even more rewarding for participants.” Expressing his gratitude on behalf of the organisation, he further added, “As the implementing partner of the PM POSHAN Abhiyaan, we are also thankful to the Government of India and various State Governments and UT Administrations for providing us the opportunity to serve the children in the country.”
Driving Collective Change
The successful conclusion of ‘Golf for Good’ is a validation of the idea of collective action to drive profound change. In addition to raising funds, the event also helped raise awareness about Akshaya Patra’s efforts and the power of a mid-day meal in bringing thousands of children to the classroom and ensuring that they receive the nourishment they need to focus, learn, and thrive.
(India CSR)
