 Early Times Report
JAMMU, July 23: The Department of Home Science, University of Jammu, in collaboration with the Kitab and Kalam Foundation and the Food & Drugs Administration (FDA), Jammu & Kashmir, organized a Nutrition Awareness Session titled "Good Food = Good Mood" at the British International School, Jammu. The event marked the first on-ground activity of the Ba Dekh Rahi Hai campaign - India's first people-driven initiative focused on food literacy, clean nutrition, and public health consciousness.
Prof. Sarika Manhas, Head of the Department of Home Science and chief guest at the event, underscored the importance of reaching out to children to ensure they develop the habit of eating nutritious meals early in life. She also highlighted the department's commitment to sharing academic and research-based knowledge on child development and holistic well-being with stakeholders through various community-centric programmes.
Sanjeev Kumar, Joint Commissioner, Food Safety, J&K, and Guest of Honour, spoke about the proactive role of the Food and Drug Authority in driving nutrition awareness. He also shared details about child-friendly nutrition modules developed for different school grades to enhance food literacy in an age-appropriate manner.
Pankaj Anand (JKAS), District Program Officer, ICDS, emphasized the role of ICDS in tackling malnutrition, and outlined the importance of integrated community-level efforts in addressing nutritional challenges.
Earlier, Guneet Singh, Founder of the Kitab and Kalam Foundation and the brain behind the Ba Dekh Rahi Hai campaign, shared its vision and objectives. He stressed the need for community-led initiatives to promote nutrition awareness, especially among children, families, and schools - where long-term, sustainable change begins.
Dr. Sonalika Jamwal, HMIS Manager, Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (J&K), highlighted the digital innovations being adopted under the Ayushman Bharat scheme to improve public health outreach, particularly among school-going children.
Dr. Archana Bhat, Assistant Professor, Department of Home Science, GCW Gandhi Nagar, focused her presentation on the importance of the food pyramid, urging students and parents alike to adopt structured and balanced dietary practices.
A team of dedicated research scholars from the Department of Home Science - Vinish Malik, Poorvi Verma, Raziya Farooq, and Meghna Sharma - added an interactive element to the session by conducting fun, child-friendly nutrition activities, making learning both engaging and meaningful for the students.
The session not only marked the beginning of an impactful campaign but also demonstrated the power of collaboration among academic institutions, government bodies, and civil society in bringing about a cultural shift in food and health consciousness. |
