Over the years, tobacco consumption has become a big issue in India and yet there’s so little happening to combat this. According to Global Adult Tobacco Survey India, 2016–17 (GATS), India is the second-largest consumer of tobacco. Nearly 267 million adults (15 years and above) are users of tobacco in India. GATS states mortality due to tobacco in India is estimated at upwards of 1.3 million.
As a step towards spreading social awareness around the harmful effects of tobacco use and consumption in India, for a tobacco-free India, we are happy to share Yuvaa’s new initiative that brings together ten young digital creators from across the country. These digital creators include doctors, therapists, influencers and writers, all under 30 years of age, with a strong passion for health and well being.
Yuvaa is a thriving community of over one lakh+ young people who are consistently engaged through content, campaigns and programs to initiate meaningful conversations in their communities.
Digvijay Gavhane, one of the ten content creators, shares, “I’m creating short videos on the mental health and financial aspects of tobacco addiction for my pages. There’s so little conversation on this topic. Not only does tobacco consumption affect physical health, but it also leads to other long term health harms. I felt a strong responsibility to create awareness about this among my online community.”
This initiative aims to make use of social platforms to create engaging conversations on the harmful impact of tobacco consumption in a manner that is relatable and relevant to the youngsters of the country.
To raise public awareness, these young digital content creators are creating 100 videos using #IndiaVsTobacco throughout the month of March, including key moments like International Women’s Day, 8 March; National No Smoking Day, 11 March; and World TB Day, 24 March.
In an attempt to spread awareness about the harms that tobacco causes, these content creators launched their first videos on International Women’s Day and No Smoking Day.
Linked to their names are some interesting videos made by these content creators — Jigyasa Sharma, Shivansh Sharma, Siddhant Nangia, Digvijay Gavhane.
The idea for #IndiaVsTobacco came about from the national youth convening called Charcha Se Change, organised as a collaboration between 40 plus youth organisations and Tata Memorial Center (TMC) on Republic Day. At the convening, Dr Pankaj Chaturvedi, Head-and-Neck Cancer Surgeon, Tata Memorial Hospital, highlighted the role that youth can play for a tobacco-free India.
About Yuvaa
Yuvaa is India’s fastest growing Gen-Z driven youth media and insights solution organisation. Our purpose is to make young Indians feel less alone by listening, engaging with and ensuring better representation for them both online and on-ground, and we’ve been able to achieve this purpose by collaborating with over 50 partners.
Yuvaa has built a thriving community of over one lakh+ young people with whom we engage through content, campaigns and programs. Our digital presence reaches millions of viewers and brings myriad issues that impact the lives of young India to the mainstream.
Instagram @weareyuvaa.
In 70 seconds, find out how #tobacco is costing India its development! #TobaccoNotCool pic.twitter.com/gRsShVZZMm
— Youth Ki Awaaz (@YouthKiAwaaz) December 27, 2017
Creators Profile
With over 3.4 million followers on MX Takatak, Jigyasa has created a loyal following. Her signature style is making videos on trending formats about dance, fitness and lifestyle that appeal to a young demographic.
Dr Falak Joshipura is a 22-year-old influencer juggling multiple hats at once. She is a doctor but also creates social media content on personal growth, health and lifestyle tips.
Digvijay Ghavane is a 20-year-old GenZ social media content creator from Maharashtra. Through his reels in Hindi and Marathi, he creates funny, relatable and regional content for a young Indian audience.
Abhipriya currently boasts 162 thousand followers on her MX Takatak page. She creates helpful beauty and lifestyle content along with dabbling in popular internet trends.
A doctor, emcee and social media content creator, Dr Dhruv Dev is all of them. He uses his social media presence to combine his passion and profession together.
Dr Muskaan is a self-described medblogger. She not only speaks about her experiences at medical school but also creates content on study inspiration, study tips and mental health, among other things.
Dance and content creation is what Lavina is known for. But not just that, through her page, she also talks about important topics such as self-love, a well-rounded lifestyle and motivation.
Krisha Mehta makes educational, lifestyle and spirituality content for her 13k Instagram followers. Her motto is to inspire the world.
Dr Siddhant Nangia, through his Instagram, is making health information accessible for all. He talks about medicine and health but also his personal passions like a healthy lifestyle and travel on his page.
Shivansh Sharma is one of the most well-known singing artists on MX Takatak, with 2.5 million followers and counting. Through his original compositions, he also spreads heartfelt and relatable messages on various topics and also makes health and lifestyle content.