The Akshaya Patra Fund

The Akshaya Patra Fund was created in 2025 by the Board of Directors of Pillar Credit Union in Marion to honor retired president Vidya Iyengar and her nearly 40 years of service.

Vidya named this field of interest fund after the Indian philosophy of the akshaya patra – the ever-giving bowl of food – to honor her mother, Sharada Ramanna, who loved to prepare food for family and guests, both expected and unexpected. Her generosity and hospitality made people wonder if she had an akshaya patra. The fund awards grants to address food insecurity locally and will support food pantries in the Marion area.

The story of akshaya patra is a legend from Vidya’s native India. Featured in the Hindu epic Mahabharata, it tells of a divine, inexhaustible copper vessel given by the Sun God Surya. The akshaya patra symbolizes divine favor and endless sustenance. This endowed fund, like the akshaya patra it is named after, is permanent and everlasting.