Vedanta's Nand Ghar launches nationwide nutrition drive for children, mothers across 18 states

Ahead of the 9th National Nutrition Month 2026, Nand Ghar has launched a new campaign called "Nand Ghar Ka Mission, Sampoorna Poshan". Nand Ghar is a flagship initiative of the Anil Agarwal Foundation (AAF) and functions as the corporate social responsibility arm of Vedanta. The campaign will build on efforts under the government of India's Poshan Abhiyaan 2.0, which aims to make nutrition a mass movement and achieve better outcomes through collective effort.

The nationwide campaign will run for a month and aims to take the issue of nutrition directly to communities, so that families, institutions and citizens see it as a shared responsibility. Putting this thinking into practice at the ground level, the campaign will bring together children, mothers, fathers, Nand Ghar didis (anganwadi workers) and communities linked to more than 15,000 Nand Ghars across 18 states. Its message is clear: real nutrition security does not just mean a full stomach, but building a healthy environment around every child.

Nand Ghar is strengthening India's anganwadi system through modern, technology-enabled centres. These centres offer nutrition, early childhood care and education, primary healthcare and women's empowerment services all under one roof. The idea behind this is that a child's wellbeing depends not just on food, but also on the knowledge, care and support available to the child and family.

A major example of this community-centred approach is Nand Ghar's Mothers' Food Preparation Programme, under which mothers are encouraged to prepare nutritious meals at the Nand Ghar using locally available ingredients, so that they become active participants in the nutrition drive. About 200,000 mothers have taken part in the programme so far, contributing to the preparation of nearly 1.5 million meals.

Vedanta Group chairman Anil Agarwal said he has always believed that nutrition means giving every child the right start in life. He said that if education and values are added to this, it lays a strong foundation for a capable and productive life within the first six years. He said women make up about 50 percent of the population, and when women are empowered and financially self-reliant, it has a deep impact on families, society and the economy. He said more than 15,000 Nand Ghars across 18 states are today having a positive impact on the lives of over 500,000 children and 400,000 women, and that with the support of central and state governments and communities, the drive can be taken to every corner of India.

Several initiatives will be carried out under the campaign. Under "Grow for Nutrition", children and mothers will be connected to local food production through kitchen gardens set up at Nand Ghars. Under "Cook for Nutrition", Nand Ghar chefs will prepare nutritious food suited to local needs and promote traditional recipes. Under "Supplements for Nutrition", children will be given fresh fruit and fortified nutrition supplements, including millet-based nutri-bars and the malnutrition-fighting Project Balvardhan. Under "Learn for Nutrition", awareness about anaemia and iron deficiency will be increased, particularly among adolescent girls. An initiative called "Papa Ka Poshan" will bring fathers and daughters together to convey the message that a child's nutrition is the responsibility of the whole family. People and communities will also be encouraged to take nutrition pledges and track their progress.

Nand Ghar CEO Shashi Arora said nutrition does not end at the doorstep of the Nand Ghar, but reaches every mother, father and child at their homes. He said the 9th National Nutrition Month is a reminder of the government's commitment under Poshan Abhiyaan 2.0 to make nutrition a mass movement. He said the Mothers' Food Preparation Programme has already shown results with the active participation of about 200,000 mothers, and that during this Nutrition Month, families and communities will be connected to this journey through cooking, education and collective efforts, so that better nutrition becomes a lasting habit.