New Delhi, February 24, 2025 – Mirabai Chanu, the silver medalist in weightlifting from the Tokyo Olympics, expressed her pride in participating in the ‘fight against obesity’ initiative introduced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. On Monday, PM Modi emphasized the critical need to tackle the growing obesity issue and appointed ten notable figures to advocate for decreased consumption of edible oils. He also encouraged these individuals to nominate ten more people to broaden the campaign’s reach. “As mentioned in yesterday’s #MannKiBaat, I would like to nominate the following individuals to strengthen the fight against obesity and promote awareness about reducing edible oil in our diets,” PM Modi posted on X, tagging Anand Mahindra, Dinesh Lal Yadav ‘Nirahua’, Manu Bhaker, Mirabai Chanu, Mohanlal, Nandan Nilekani, Omar Abdullah, Madhavan, Shreya Ghoshal, and Sudha Murty. “I also request them to each nominate 10 more people so that our movement can grow! Together, let us make India fitter and healthier. #FightObesity,” the post continued.
“I am truly honored to be nominated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to help raise awareness in the battle against obesity. This is a significant health issue that can be addressed by making healthier lifestyle choices and committing to being active, fit, and healthy. It is essential for India to move in this direction to support and enhance our journey of growth,” stated Mirabai. “Small adjustments in our daily routines can lead to substantial changes for the nation and help us realize our aspiration of a Fit India,” she added.
In support of the initiative, the celebrated weightlifter also nominated world chess champion Gukesh Dommaraju, London Olympic bronze medallist shuttler Saina Nehwal, 2012 London bronze medal-winning shooter Gagan Narang, former hockey captains Rani Rampal and Manpreet Singh, tennis legend Leander Paes, two-time Olympic medallist shuttler PV Sindhu, paddler Manika Batra, Paris 2024 bronze medallist Sarabjot Singh, and two-time Paralympic champion shooter Avani Lekhara.
During the 119th episode of ‘Mann Ki Baat’, PM Modi addressed the rising obesity rates, stating, “To become a fit and healthy nation, we must confront the issue of obesity. A study indicates that one in every eight individuals is currently affected by obesity. The prevalence of obesity has doubled over recent years, and alarmingly, it has increased fourfold among children. According to WHO data, in 2022, approximately 2.5 billion people globally were classified as overweight, meaning they carried excess weight.”
“We can collectively tackle this challenge with simple efforts. For instance, one suggestion I made was to ‘reduce edible oil consumption by ten percent.’ Commit to using ten percent less oil each month. Decide to purchase ten percent less oil when buying cooking oil. This will be a crucial step towards reducing obesity,” he added. (Agency)
