A one-day National level Conference on Nutrition titled “Poshan Panchayat 2022” was organized on 24^th September 2022 at Vivanta by Taj, Surajkund by SHARP NGO, India’s largest school health network working pan India since 1999. The event was held in support of the Government of India’s flagship program ‘Poshan Abhiyaan’ under which various activities are organized during the month of September, which is celebrated as ‘Poshan Maah’. It aims to improve the nutritional outcomes of adolescents, children, pregnant women, and lactating mothers. The event was attended by over 300 delegates comprising nutritionists, doctors, academicians, policymakers, students, teachers, Government, CSR, and health professionals from various parts of the country. While inaugurating the event, Ms. A Dhanalaskshmi, Joint Secretary to Government of India, Ministry of Minority Affairs, informed that the Government is in the process of preparation of Vision Document 2047, a way forward to make India a well-developed country, and to achieve this goal, the necessary roadmap towards the eradication of malnutrition by 2030 is a key priority for the country. Sh K Gurumurthy, Joint Secretary to Government of India, Ministry of Fertilizers highlighted the significance of including millets in the diet to tackle malnutrition in India as India continues to be the largest producer of millets in the world. Dr. Puran Prakash, Founder of SHARP NGO gave the opening speech for the event.

Poshan Panchayat 2022 conference was curated using the Panchtattva strategy to achieve the goal of dealing with the need for nutrition awareness and healthy eating in the country. Poshan Chaupal showcased the deliberations to discuss the interventions which can be used to combat malnutrition. This was complemented with interesting segments such as Poshan Mela, Poshan Pakwan, Poshan Dangal, and a Nutrition theme Poshan fashion show.

Several students, teachers, schools, corporate organizations, and individuals were felicitated with Poshan Samman Awards for their exemplary work in the field of health and nutrition under various categories like Best School Nutrition Program, Best School Canteen, Best Foundation in Promoting Sustainable Nutrition Program, Best Health Tiffin, Best Nutri Garden, and many more.

The awardees were felicitated by Dr. Neelam Chillar and Dr. Mitra Basu Chillar, the parents of Ms. Manushi Chillar, Miss World, and the film actress. Renowned world-class puppeteer Padamshree Awardee Dadi D Pudumjee, Ms. Vineeta Singh, Chief Engineer, Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam, and several other high-profile dignitaries also gave away the awards.

To promote nutrition among children and youth, a specially choreographed one of its kind Nutri Fashion Show was presented by the students of the World University of Design, Sonipat.

Speaking on occasion, Ms. Menaka Sharma, Director, School Health Annual Report Programme (SHARP) emphasized the need to introspect the reasons and find solutions to the problems of hunger and malnutrition in India. Even though the country is celebrating, 75 years of #AzaadiKaAmritMahotsav, yet every 3^rd child in India is malnourished, and every 2^nd tribal child suffers from malnutrition. The economically weaker section of society is caught under the vicious cycle of poverty and malnutrition passed on from generation to generation. The Sustainable Development Goal (SDG #2) to zero hunger, aims to end all forms of malnutrition by 2030, making sure all people especially children have access to enough nutritious food all around.

More details about the conference are available at  www.schoolhealthsummit.in

About SHARP NGO:

SHARP, a pan India NGO working in the field of public health since 1999, is a scientifically planned health program for community development, professionally managed under the guidance of eminent medical experts, sociologists, educationists, psychologists, nutritionists, and others who have a vision of promoting healthcare and overall development in the third world countries. To combat malnutrition, SHARP uses AAA Approach i.e. Assessment, Analysis, and Awareness which includes liaising/ networking with local key stakeholders, Training/ Capacity Building of the stakeholders (ANM, Anganwadi workers, ASHA workers, teachers, religious leaders, Village Health & Sanitation Committee), Pre & Post Nutritional Assessment of beneficiaries and IEC/ BCC Activities for behavioural change. SHARP has also implemented many Govt schemes like NRHM for school health programs, RBSK (Rashtirya Bal Suraksha Karyakaram), RKSK (Rashtriya Kishore Swasthya Karyakaram), Menstrual Health, SABLA, School AIDS Awareness Program, and Sanitation programs under Swachh Bharat Mission. For more details, please visit our website: (www.schoolindia.org)