Students Hunger Interventions

Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham implements comprehensive interventions to prevent and alleviate hunger among students, directly supporting SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities). The university ensures that all students have reliable access to nutritious meals through multiple campus-based programmes and support systems. 

All Amrita campuses provide mandatory hostel accommodation with centralized dining facilities where students receive unlimited quantities of pure vegetarian, hygienic meals throughout the academic year. The mess system ensures that every enrolled student has guaranteed access to four daily meals: breakfast, lunch, snacks, and dinner, served at designated times. 

Key Features: 

• Self-service system with unlimited food portions (except special items) 
• Centralized kitchens with strict food safety and hygiene protocols 
• Night cafeterias attached to all hostels for late-evening food access 
• Mandatory mess enrollment ensuring no student goes without meals 

Sources

• Infrastructure – Coimbatore Campus  

• Campus Life – Amritapuri  

• Hostel Details – Chennai Campus  

Amrita provides comprehensive scholarship packages that include full or partial tuition fee waivers and hostel/mess fee subsidies for students from economically weaker sections. This ensures that students facing financial hardship can access regular, nutritious meals without additional burden. 

Scholarship Components: 

• 100% tuition and hostel fee waiver through Chancellor’s Scholarships 
• Subsidized mess charges for students demonstrating economic need 
• Emergency meal vouchers available through Student Welfare offices 

Sources

• Scholarships – Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham 

• Affiliation & Academic Structure – Amrita Schools  

While primarily serving school children and communities, Annamrita Foundation (established by Mata Amritanandamayi Math, which founded Amrita University) provides a model for food security that extends to university students in need. The foundation serves over 10 million meals annually and operates Mother’s Kitchen initiatives that have distributed 150,000 meals to hungry populations, including emergency food relief during crises. 

University Application: 

• Emergency food distribution systems modeled on Annamrita’s proven methods 
• Community kitchens accessible to students facing temporary food insecurity 
• Surplus meal redistribution to prevent waste while supporting those in need

Source: Basic Necessities: Food, Water & Shelter 

Each Amrita campus maintains a Student Affairs & Welfare Office with dedicated staff to identify and support students experiencing food insecurity. Students can confidentially approach welfare officers, hostel wardens, or campus counselors to receive immediate meal assistance, including emergency food provisions and flexible mess arrangements.

Support Mechanisms: 

• Confidential reporting channels for students facing hunger 
• Flexible mess payment plans for students with financial difficulties 
• Emergency food provisions through hostel administrative offices 
• Nutrition counseling through campus health centers 

Sources

• Student Affairs & Welfare – Coimbatore Campus

• Campus Life – Amritapuri  

Through initiatives like ALIVE (Amrita Learning to Integrate Values & Excellence), Sahaya (social outreach club), and NSS (National Service Scheme), Amrita students organize regular visits to orphanages and community centers, bringing meals and organizing community kitchens. These programmes create a culture of food sharing and ensure awareness of food insecurity issues. 

Programme Activities: 

• Regular meal services at orphanages and old-age homes 
• Fundraisers to sponsor meals for disadvantaged children 
• Campus food drives and awareness campaigns on hunger prevention

Source: Computer Science Students Offer Lunch at Amrita Niketan Orphanage

Amrita’s official SDG 2: Zero Hunger framework explicitly states: “It is time to rethink how we grow, share and consume our food… agriculture, forestry and fisheries can provide nutritious food for all and generate decent incomes while supporting people-centered rural development and protecting the environment”. This institutional commitment guides all campus food security policies and student welfare programmes. 

Source: Zero Hunger – SDG 2

How Students Can Access Support 

Students experiencing food insecurity at any Amrita campus should: 

1. Contact the Head of Student Welfare at their campus 
2. Approach hostel wardens or resident advisors for immediate meal assistance 
3. Visit campus health centers for nutrition counseling and support referrals 
4. Email dedicated welfare addresses (e.g., students-welfare@am.amrita.edu for Amritapuri; hsw@cb.amrita.edu for Coimbatore) 

Through these comprehensive interventions—ranging from guaranteed meal access through hostel dining systems to emergency food relief and scholarship support—Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham ensures that no student experiences hunger during their academic journey, creating an inclusive campus environment aligned with UN Sustainable Development Goals.