Vice-Chancellor Prof. Dr. Himanshu Aeran Says:* Ras Bihari Bose Subharti University Is a Tobacco-Free Campus; Tobacco Is a Major Cause of Deadly Diseases Such as Cancer
*Dehradun:* With the objective of building a tobacco-free society in Uttarakhand, the *22nd quarterly meeting of the Uttarakhand Tobacco-Free Coalition (UTFC)* was organized at *Samrat Lalitaditya Auditorium, Ras Bihari Bose Subharti University, Dehradun. On this occasion, health experts, academicians, and social workers held serious discussions on the harmful effects of tobacco and measures for its prevention. UTFC, with the support of **Balaji Seva Sansthan*, has been actively promoting tobacco control and public awareness initiatives across the state.
During the event, an important *Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)* was also signed between *Ras Bihari Bose Subharti University* and *UTFC*. According to the agreement, the university will extend full cooperation in achieving the objectives of UTFC and in advancing tobacco control and awareness programs.
The program began with the ceremonial *lighting of the lamp* by the dignitaries. The meeting was moderated by *Pradeep Anand, Joint Secretary of UTFC. At the beginning of the program, **Engineer Prem Taneja, Chairman of UTFC*, welcomed all the participants and emphasized that continuous and coordinated efforts by society, educational institutions, and the administration are essential for effective tobacco control.
During the meeting, *Awadhesh Kumar, Member Secretary of UTFC*, presented a review of the proceedings and progress of the previous quarterly meeting and shared updates on various awareness programs.
Addressing the gathering as the *Chief Guest, **Prof. Dr. Himanshu Aeran, Vice-Chancellor of Ras Bihari Bose Subharti University*, stated that tobacco has become one of the biggest challenges to public health today. He emphasized that educational institutions play a crucial role in protecting young people from the harmful effects of tobacco.
Dr. Aeran also highlighted that *Ras Bihari Bose Subharti University is a completely tobacco-free campus*, where strict awareness measures and disciplinary systems against tobacco consumption are in place. He linked tobacco use directly to life-threatening diseases such as cancer, stating that tobacco is a major cause of several types of cancer and other serious health problems, and therefore every section of society must stay away from it.
He further stressed the need to strengthen health awareness campaigns at the university level, adding that if accurate information is provided at school and university levels, future generations can be protected from tobacco addiction. He appreciated the efforts of UTFC and said that such collective initiatives bring positive change in society.
On the occasion, *Prof. Dr. Jyotsna Seth, Vice-Chairperson of UTFC and Professor at Seema Dental College, Rishikesh*, elaborated on the serious health consequences of tobacco consumption and its socio-economic impacts.
*Prof. Dr. Aarti Rauthan, Executive Member of UTFC and Head of the Department of Public Health at Sai Institute, Dehradun*, presented the achievements of UTFC and its future action plan.
*Prof. Lufina Ahmed, Professor in the Nursing Department at Ras Bihari Bose Subharti University*, delivered a presentation on the status of tobacco use in Uttarakhand, its public health implications, and strategies for prevention.
Former UTFC President *Commander Anil Agnihotri* spoke about the challenges in controlling illegal tobacco trade. Meanwhile, *Subhash Bansal, Executive Member of UTFC*, shared his experiences from awareness campaigns conducted among children and adolescents.
During the meeting, new members associated with UTFC were also honored. Those recognized included *Nitika Kaushal (Nodal Officer for the program), Dr. Rashmi Bhardwaj, Dr. Narendra Kumar, Ms. Srishti Thapa, Prof. Lufina Ahmed, and Mr. Manveer Singh Negi. The honors were presented by **Pradeep Anand and other distinguished guests*.
At the conclusion of the meeting, *Ajit Singh Tomar, Executive Member of UTFC and National Award recipient*, delivered the vote of thanks to all guests and participants.
During the meeting, a consensus was reached to strengthen public awareness regarding tobacco control across the state and to take concrete institutional measures to curb tobacco use.
