The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), the country’s apex food regulator, announced the Eat Right Awards and Eat Right Creativity Challenge recently, giving the Eat Right India movement a further boost, following the Swasth Bharat Yatra.

The Swasth Bharat Yatra, expected to cover 18,000km on six different tracks, has already generated a lot of enthusiasm across the country. Within just a month, a distance of over 5,000km has been covered, reaching over 500 locations in 16 states. Almost 8,000 volunteer cyclists have been registered and over 1,30,000 citizens have been reached through direct engagement.

People from all walks of life have participated in this yatra,from nuns and monks cycling at high altitudes to NCC cadets, NSS Scouts and Guides, frontline health workers (Anganwadi and Asha workers), doctors, school children, teachers and professionals, all adding their own unique flair to the activities around this movement.

Eat Right Creativity Challenge
Given that healthy food habits are formed early in life, children and young people are the most important champions of such a movement. Moreover, children can be powerful agents of change, who can usher in a culture of safe food and healthy diets.

Recognising this, the Eat Right Creativity Challenge has been announced by FSSAI to unleash the creativity of the country’s youth to spread the message of Eat Right. This Challenge includes on-the-spot poster and wall art competitions for school children, as well as a competition for digital creatives for amateur and professional artists and students.

This Challenge is also designed to reach schools for sustained engagement under FSSAI’s Safe and Nutritious Food (SNF) at School initiative. An Eat Right activity book has been created for schools to allow children to internalise the key messages of the Eat Right India movement.

Painter Paresh Maity, a guest of honour at the event, congratulated FSSAI on this initiative, saying, “Creativity is not only about painting or making posters, but it is everywhere. If we eat healthy, we can create anything in life, especially a healthy future for ourselves.”

Eat Right Awards
At the launch of the Eat Right India movement early this year, several food companies pledged to demonstrate their support and commitment to the movement by producing healthier food options, reformulating existing food products and providing better nutritional information to consumers.

To take this forward by recognising and celebrating the outstanding contribution of both individuals and institutions, Eat Right Awards were also announced by FSSAI.

Special Eat Right Awards for food-related start-ups have also been instituted by FSSAI to reward innovation and promote entrepreneurship in the areas of food safety and applied nutrition. A jury consisting of eminent professionals and experts in the food sector will select the winners for the Eat Right Awards.

Pawan Kumar Agarwal, chief executive officer, FSSAI, remarked, “The Eat Right Awards would provide an impetus for food companies, especially food-related start-ups, and individuals to join the Eat Right India movement and promote safe and healthy eating options. All these activities, as a part of the Eat Right India movement, would help in engaging all sections of the society and create a momentum to ultimately change the way India eats.”