8th Rashtriya Poshan Maah concludes with call for malnutrition-free islands

The 8th Rashtriya Poshan Maah (National Nutrition Month) 2025 concluded with a grand valedictory ceremony at the Government Girls School, Sri Vijaya Puram, organized by the Directorate of Social Welfare, Andaman & Nicobar Administration. The month-long campaign, held every September, aims to eliminate malnutrition and promote healthy nutrition practices among communities under the Prime Minister’s flagship POSHAN Abhiyaan initiative.

The event saw enthusiastic participation from Anganwadi workers, beneficiaries, and senior officials from multiple departments. Commissioner-cum-Secretary (Social Welfare) Chanchal Yadav graced the occasion as the chief guest, accompanied by Secretary (Social Welfare) L. Kumar, Director (Social Welfare) Ravinder Kumar, Director of Health Services Dr. Suja Antony, and senior officials from AYUSH and Rocket Learning Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi.

In her address, the chief guest underscored the importance of nutrition as the foundation of a healthy and productive society. She lauded the relentless work of Anganwadi and ASHA workers in spreading awareness about health and nutrition at the grassroots level across the islands. Their door-to-door efforts, she noted, play a crucial role in tackling malnutrition and ensuring early childhood well-being.

The ceremony featured a Nutrition Exhibition, where Anganwadi workers presented creative recipes prepared from locally available ingredients such as millets, coarse grains, and traditional produce. The display highlighted the value of using local foods to maintain balanced diets and improve community health outcomes.

Director (Social Welfare) Ravinder Kumar, in his welcome address, reiterated the campaign’s mission of building a malnutrition-free India and emphasized how local participation had made Poshan Maah a success across the islands. A detailed presentation by Health and Nutrition Consultant (Poshan 2.0) Sarika Varma provided insights into the month-long activities, awareness campaigns, and community-driven initiatives held throughout the Union Territory.

A short documentary film showcasing the outreach and achievements of the Poshan Maah campaign was screened for the audience. It depicted the efforts made by Anganwadi centres, schools, and health departments to encourage healthy eating and lifestyle practices among families, especially children and women.

The event also saw the release of two new Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) curriculum books ,  Aadharshila and Navchetna ,  designed to strengthen early education and training under the mission. These books are expected to aid Anganwadi workers in implementing structured, age-appropriate learning modules for children.

Marking another milestone, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Directorate of Social Welfare and Rocket Learning Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi, to promote digital learning and enhance capacity building for Anganwadi workers under ECCE. The agreement aims to integrate technology-driven learning and expand access to quality pre-primary education resources.

A video presentation by Rocket Learning showcased the outcomes of their ECCE training initiatives, emphasizing the importance of digital education in early learning. The MoU was signed by Program Lead Pratibha Rohal and Director (Social Welfare) Ravinder Kumar in the presence of dignitaries and stakeholders.

Programme Officer (ICDS) Zarina Bibi proposed a vote of thanks, acknowledging the contributions of all departments and participants in making the 8th Rashtriya Poshan Maah a success.

The valedictory function not only marked the conclusion of a month dedicated to nutrition awareness but also reaffirmed the administration’s vision of creating a healthy, educated, and malnutrition-free Andaman & Nicobar Islands through collaborative community efforts and digital empowerment.