Ayush Pankaj Sonkar and his elder sister, Arushi, are two peas in a pod. However, like any siblings, their days are full of playful fights, much like the classic Tom and Jerry duo. Their teasing and tussles often end with Ayush being saved by their mother. “He suddenly comes from behind, slaps on my back and runs away. When I run behind him to give him back, my mother interferes in between and saves him. After all, he is the younger one,” Arushi complains with an unamused look on her face. Despite the light-hearted sibling rivalry, there’s a deep sense of affection and support between the two.

The siblings study at Rajya Zilla Parishad School, Bhingari, in Panvel, Maharashtra. Ayush, studies in the second grade, while Arushi, is a 4th grader. They stay in the nearby locality with their parents. Their father, Pankaj, is a vegetable vendor and sells vegetables on a cart from door-to-door. Ayush and Arushi’s mother, Hiral, is a homemaker and takes care of her children.

8-year-old Ayush already has a big dream aligned for his career. "I want to join the army and save India when I grow up," he says proudly, his small chest puffing up. "I see soldiers on TV, and they are so brave. I want to be like them one day." On the other hand, Arushi says, “I want to become an English teacher.” Before she could complete her statement, Ayush interrupted, “You don’t even know English properly. How can you become a teacher?”

He further continues teasing, “I know you want to open a beauty parlour. Why don’t you tell the truth?” Arushi gives him a stern glare at first and then hits him playfully on his arm. The embarrassed girl says shyly, "Yes, I want to open a beauty parlour one day. I love doing makeup and making people look beautiful. My brother makes fun of me, but I don’t care." Suddenly, Ayush bursts into laughter, "First she doesn’t even know much English, then she doesn’t even know how to do make-up, but she still wants to run a parlour!" Arushi giggles and shrugs off her brother’s comment. "Well, I did score 48 out of 50 in English!" she adds proudly. “I know you passed the exams by copying from other students,” Ayush says with a smirk. This statement was sure to start a game of cat and mouse among the siblings at home.

While every conversation between the siblings ends up in a playful and friendly fight, they both agree on the tasty and nutritious meals served in their school by Akshaya Patra. "My favourite is sheera and chana. It’s delicious,” Ayush says with a grin. Before Arushi could speak, an excited Ayush spoke on behalf of her, “She likes the sambhar rice and mixed dal they serve on Thursdays.”

Ayush and Arushi are among the 2.2 million beneficiaries of Akshaya Patra’s school feeding programme. The programme is an effort to implement PM POSHAN Abhiyaan in government schools across India. By providing nutritious food, Akshaya Patra ensures that children have an improvement in their overall health and academic performance. These efforts of Akshaya Patra perfectly align with United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) - 2, which aims to end hunger, and SDG 4, which promotes quality education. With the right nourishment and support, children like Ayush and Arushi are on the path to achieving their dreams—whether it’s to serve the country in the army or open a beauty parlour.