New Delhi: The Ministry of Women and Child Development orchestrated the grand ‘Poshan Utsav’ at The Oberoi on February 29, 2024. This event served as a platform to advocate for good nutrition practices and underscore India’s relentless pursuit to eradicate malnutrition. Distinguished guests included the Hon’ble Union Minister for Women and Child Development and Minority Affairs, Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani, and Mr. Bill Gates, Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF).
A highlight of the event was the unveiling of the ‘Poshan Utsav Book’ alongside the launch of the Cartoon Coalition. The ‘Poshan Utsav Book’, a brainchild of the Ministry of Women and Child Development in collaboration with the Deendayal Research Institute (DRI), aims to revive ancient nutritional wisdom, fostering knowledge exchange and intergenerational learning. It serves as a treasure trove celebrating India’s diverse culinary heritage and nutritional richness.
The inception of the Cartoon Coalition marks a pivotal moment in the journey towards promoting nutrition. This innovative initiative, a collaboration among esteemed cartoon entities in India, leverages beloved characters to impart crucial messages on nutrition in an engaging and relatable manner, aimed at instigating positive behavioral changes among children.
Addressing the audience, Mr. Bill Gates commended the ‘Poshan Utsav Book’ for its integration of local context and cultural practices, emphasizing its potential to champion nutritional diversity across India. He remarked, “When you improve the life of a woman, there’s a ripple effect: You improve her community and her country.”
In her keynote address, Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani lauded the partnership with BMGF in the realms of nutrition and gender empowerment. She hailed the launch of Poshan Abhiyaan in 2018 as a monumental stride, uniting 18 ministries under a national flagship program. She highlighted the digital empowerment of anganwadis, ensuring streamlined service delivery to the grassroots level. The operationalization of Poshan Tracker has yielded promising results, with a notable decline in Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) and Moderate Acute Malnutrition (MAM) cases.
The Cartoon Coalition launch symbolizes a significant endeavor to cultivate healthy lifestyles among children through behavioral change. Popular cartoon characters like Chacha Chaudhary, Suppandi, Shambhu, and Elmo breathed life into the coalition, adding an enchanting dimension to the occasion.
The ‘Poshan Utsav’ stands as a milestone in the battle against malnutrition, propelling the nation closer to the vision of a ‘Suposhit Bharat’.
