Biocon joins hands with Akshaya Patra foundation to help citizens during the Covid-19 outbreak. The biotech company distributed dry ration kits to underprivileged strata of society across Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh during the pandemic.
Bangalore, August 10, 2020: History is witness to the global disruption that has been generated by the rapid spread of coronavirus. Besides being a health crisis, the pandemic also brought economic and business activities to a standstill in India. The collateral damage of this, has been denial of livelihood and access to food for the economically challenged sections. It is at this inflection point that Biocon, India’s largest, innovation led biopharma company that is no stranger to social responsibility, approached Akshaya Patra Foundation to collaborate in distributing dry ration kits to vulnerable groups in Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
Speaking on behalf of Biocon Foundation, Mission Director, Ms Pratima Rao said that, “Aligning with social causes has been fundamental to Biocon’s’ DNA and an integral part of the business model. We have been associated with Akshaya Patra Foundation for some time now. Initially our primary agenda was to augment the supply of nutritious meals to schools and anganwadi centres in Karnataka and Telangana. However, at a time when the country was battling a pandemic, the association was extended to reach relief efforts to underprivileged sections of society across several locations. As a further commitment, we will continue to invest in innovative and impactful programs in partnership with like-minded organisations, to improve the lives of the poor and marginalised communities.”
Moreover, Biocon, quick to adapt to any situation, has been instrumental in developing testing kits and effective therapies for COVID-19. As a CSR Initiative, Biocon’s research arm Syngene International runs an ICMR-approved COVID-19 testing laboratory, using RT-PCR technology, to speed up affordable testing in Bengaluru. Biocon Foundation is focused on four key thematic areas of intervention – healthcare, education, environmental sustainability and rural development. It has forged meaningful partnerships with government agencies, NGOs and academia for solutions to address the issues of sustainable development. The foundation is engaged in several public-private partnership (PPP) projects aimed at effectively and transparently implementing welfare schemes for marginalized communities.
Biocon Foundation brings effective primary healthcare services to the doorstep of underprivileged sections and models new approaches for public healthcare delivery. Responsible practices in the areas of environmental protection and conservation of natural resources have resulted in path-breaking results. The rural development initiatives are directed towards improving the standard of living of rural communities by provision of basic infrastructure and services in resource-limited settings. The disaster relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction activities are focused on sustainable recovery of disaster-affected communities. In addition, the Grant-in-Aid initiative has rendered financial support to innovative solutions for real-world problems.
On the collaboration with Biocon Foundation, Shridhar Venkat, CEO, Akshaya Patra Foundation said, “We are deeply touched with the support we have received from Biocon Foundation during these unprecedented times. We appreciate Biocon for coming forward to collaborate with us in eliminating hunger from the society.” Incidentally, Akshaya Patra and associate foundations have served about 72 million meals to underprivileged sections of the society over the last four months.
