Source ForPressRelease.com

Vista Equity Partners, the world’s leading private equity firm, focused exclusively on enterprise software, data, and technology solutions, together with several of its companies in India, partners with Akshaya Patra by pledging a contribution of USD 1 million over five years to aid in the Foundation's mid-day meal plan. Robert F. Smith, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Vista Equity Partners, recently named by Forbes as one of the 100 Greatest Living Business Minds, announced the collaboration alongside Mr. Hardeep Gulati, CEO of PowerSchool, and Mr. Shridhar Venkat, CEO of The Akshaya Patra Foundation.



The pledge was announced during the opening of the new offices of the education-technology firm, PowerSchool. PowerSchool provides software solutions to schools in over 70 countries, it will continue to hire talent, and expand its presence in Bengaluru, joining eight other Vista portfolio companies with operations in India. This philanthropic investment in Akshaya Patra Foundation’s mid-day meal program demonstrates Vista’s and the Vista companies’ commitment to creating access and opportunity for young people to reach their potential.



The initial investment will be used to purchase trucks to transport meals to schools in various areas of the country. With $200,000 USD granted each year, contributions will aid the delivery of meals to 80,000 students per day, and over 18 million meals per year.



"Our culture at Vista emphasizes the importance of positively impacting and engaging with the communities in which we live and work,” said Robert F. Smith, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Vista Equity Partners. "At Vista, we invest in the future. And Akshaya Patra’s work does that. By ensuring that students across India have the nourishment they need to be able to learn, the foundation plays an integral role in the education of Indian youth, and we are honored to help them execute on their mission."



"We are honored to partner with Vista and Vista companies—including PowerSchool—to continue to ensure that our children are well-nourished, and able to learn," said Shridhar Venkat, CEO of the Akshaya Patra Foundation in India. “This commitment will immensely expand our ability to deliver meals to schools and students across India, and will help us in furthering the mission of serving 5 million children by 2020.”



With Vista’s presence in India expanding, the Vista companies’ collaboration with Akshaya Patra Foundation represents Vista’s and its companies’ commitment to India and its people.