Kolkatans Hit the Streets With Jago India Jago Rally to Mark World No Tobacco Day
To mark World No Tobacco Day on May 31, 2026, the “Jago India Jago” fitness campaign organized a major public awareness rally in Kolkata to highlight the severe health risks of smoking and tobacco use. Led globally by the World Health Organization (WHO), this annual campaign advocates for effective policies to curb tobacco consumption worldwide. In Kolkata, citizens and volunteers marched from Esplanade to the Victoria Memorial carrying signs, posters, and anti-smoking messages. To creatively capture public attention and illustrate the deadly consequences of tobacco dependency, demonstrators dressed up in skeleton costumes and walked alongside volunteers carrying giant prop cigarettes.
Beyond addressing general fitness concerns, the rally served as a platform for medical experts to dispel common misconceptions about tobacco among younger demographics. Dr. Anjan Siotia, Director of Cardiology at CK Birla Hospitals (BM Birla Heart Hospital), warned that smoking has become a primary contributor to early cardiovascular diseases and high blood pressure among young adults. Doctors vehemently opposed the common belief among individuals in their 20s and 30s that occasional smoking is relatively harmless compared to long-term chronic use. Echoing these medical concerns, fitness coach Soumen Das, who participated in the march, emphasized that younger generations must urgently understand that high blood pressure is no longer strictly an age-related condition, urging complete cessation for sustainable health.
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