NE NEWS SERVICE
BENGALURU, JUNE 28
Calling for a nationwide people’s movement against substance abuse, Vice-President C. P. Radhakrishnan on Sunday urged educational institutions, families, healthcare professionals, law enforcement agencies and civil society to work in unison to build a ‘Nasha Mukt Bharat’, asserting that the fight against drugs must begin with individuals and evolve into a collective national mission.
Live : Vice President Shri C. P. Radhakrishnan’s address at the Foundation Day of RGUHS and Nasha Mukt Bharat conclave in Bengaluru https://t.co/6xEG2KZJIu
— Vice-President of India (@VPIndia) June 28, 2026
Addressing the Nasha Mukt Bharat Conclave, organised by Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (RGUHS) in association with the Narcotics Control Bureau and Disha Bodh Foundation during the University’s 31st Foundation Day celebrations at Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru, the Vice-President cautioned that substance abuse poses a serious threat not only to individual health but also to education, productivity, social harmony and national development.
- Vice-President calls for a whole-of-society mission to build a ‘Nasha Mukt Bharat’, warning that substance abuse threatens the nation’s health, productivity and future
- Urges students, educational institutions, families, healthcare professionals, law enforcement agencies and civil society to unite against addiction
- Calls for greater research in addiction medicine, mental health, behavioural sciences and evidence-based policymaking to combat substance abuse
- Emphasises that drug-free campuses and resilient communities are essential to safeguarding India’s demographic dividend
- Administers Pulse Polio vaccine to infants and honours former Vice-Chancellors during Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences’ 31st Foundation Day celebrations in Bengaluru
- Conclave organised by RGUHS in association with the Narcotics Control Bureau and Disha Bodh Foundation reinforces the national resolve for a drug-free India.
Congratulating RGUHS on its Foundation Day, he commended the University for its outstanding contribution to healthcare education, research and public health, while producing generations of dedicated medical professionals serving the nation.
Expressing satisfaction over the large gathering of students who pledged to make Bengaluru, Karnataka and eventually India drug-free, Radhakrishnan emphasised that a “Nasha Mukt Bharat” extends beyond eliminating drugs—it represents the creation of healthier lifestyles, informed choices, supportive families and resilient communities.
“Nasha Mukt Bharat is not merely about the absence of drugs but about promoting healthy choices, informed decisions, supportive families and resilient communities,” he said.
Stressing the importance of self-control, he observed that individuals must remain masters of their own minds.
“When drugs take control of the mind, one loses control over one’s own life,” he remarked.
Describing addiction as a national loss, the Vice-President said every young person trapped in substance abuse represents untapped potential lost to the country. He urged students—particularly future doctors, nurses, pharmacists, psychologists, researchers and public health professionals—to become ambassadors of awareness and actively contribute to prevention, treatment, research and evidence-based policymaking.
Calling for stronger scientific intervention, Radhakrishnan stressed the need to expand research in addiction medicine, mental health, behavioural sciences and community-based interventions, while leveraging technology, counselling services and peer support networks to address substance use disorders more effectively.
“Evidence must guide action and research must inform policy,” he said.
Reiterating his long-standing advocacy for drug-free educational institutions, the Vice-President noted that, as Chancellor of three Central Universities, he has consistently promoted drug-free campuses across the country.
Referring to the Drug-Free Campus Campaign and the e-pledge platform launched earlier this year at the University of Delhi, he expressed satisfaction that the initiative has contributed towards creating safer, healthier educational environments.
On the sidelines of the event, Radhakrishnan administered Pulse Polio vaccine drops to infants under Karnataka’s National Pulse Polio Drive and honoured former Vice-Chancellors of Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences for their significant contributions to the institution’s growth over the years.
The event was attended by Karnataka Governor Thaawar Chand Gehlot, Andhra Pradesh Governor Justice (Retd.) Syed Abdul Nazeer, Karnataka Minister for Medical Education Sharan Prakash R. Patil, Karnataka Minister for Health & Family Welfare U.T. Khader Fareed, RGUHS Vice-Chancellor Bhagavan, senior officials, healthcare professionals and distinguished guests.
