India’s ‘Anna Chakra’ Among Global Finalists for 2026 Franz Edelman Award

Anna Chakra is an operations research–based decision support system designed to optimise state-specific foodgrain logistics under India’s Public Distribution System (PDS).

 

India’s Department of Food and Public Distribution (DFPD) has been named among the six global finalists for the prestigious 2026 Franz Edelman Award, widely regarded as the “Nobel Prize of Operations Research and Analytics”, for its flagship initiative “Anna Chakra”.

The recognition places India alongside leading global organisations such as Chewy, NVIDIA, Google, Microsoft and ECCO Shoe, highlighting the international significance of Anna Chakra as a transformative, data-driven public-sector innovation.

Strengthening India’s Public Distribution System

Anna Chakra is an operations research–based decision support system designed to optimise state-specific foodgrain logistics under India’s Public Distribution System (PDS). The initiative was developed through a Government–UN–Academia partnership, involving:

• The Department of Food and Public Distribution,

• The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) in India, and

• Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi.

The platform applies advanced optimisation models to improve the movement of foodgrains across the country, ensuring greater efficiency, cost savings and environmental sustainability in one of the world’s largest food security programmes.

Measurable National Impact

Since its national rollout, Anna Chakra has delivered significant outcomes, including:

• Estimated annual savings of ₹250 crore in logistics costs,

• A 35% reduction in carbon emissions, supporting India’s climate commitments,

• Enhanced efficiency benefiting over 81 crore PDS beneficiaries, particularly vulnerable households.

These gains underscore the project’s ability to align food security, fiscal efficiency and climate action at scale.

Global Recognition for Public-Sector Analytics

Being selected as a finalist for the Franz Edelman Award positions Anna Chakra as a globally relevant and scalable model for public distribution reform, demonstrating how advanced analytics can drive meaningful change in large government systems.

Earlier this month, the initiative also received the CDSA–ORSI Excellence in Management Science and Analytics Practice Award 2026 at the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad, reinforcing its national and international impact.

Government Response

Secretary of the Department of Food and Public Distribution, Shri Sanjeev Chopra, welcomed the recognition.

“We are honoured to be recognised on these global platforms. The Anna Chakra model represents the power of applying scientific methods to strengthen public systems. Our partnership with WFP India and IIT Delhi has been instrumental in achieving this milestone,” he said.

Next Steps

The winner of the 2026 Franz Edelman Award will be announced at the INFORMS Analytics+ Conference, scheduled to take place in National Harbor, Maryland, USA, from 12–14 April 2026.

Regardless of the final outcome, Anna Chakra’s selection among the world’s top analytics-driven initiatives marks a major milestone for India’s public-sector innovation, food security governance and data-led reform agenda.