E-Paper
He?s got the fire...
He was an ordinary student in St Francis? College by self admission and recalls that it was his English teacher, Dr Nishi Pandey, who inspired him. ?She not only redefined how I perceived a woman as, but also how I understood a man should be like. Gender disparities prevalent in and around me, came out all the more prominently. ?Be true to your highest convictions? roared she! She continues to inspire me.
Renowned anti-tobacco activist and writer Bobby Ramakant has dedicated his life to creating awareness about the evil of smoking.
He was an ordinary student in St Francis’ College by self admission and recalls that it was his English teacher, Dr Nishi Pandey, who inspired him. “She not only redefined how I perceived a woman as, but also how I understood a man should be like. Gender disparities prevalent in and around me, came out all the more prominently. ‘Be true to your highest convictions’ roared she! She continues to inspire me. In 1991, when I entered Lucknow University, I was confronted by many challenges - foremost of them was the association of masculinity with tobacco use, alcohol intake, aggressive behaviour and abusive language,” says activist-writer Bobby Ramakant.
The campaign
In 1991, two things happened. One was that I began writing a weekly column for The Pioneer. And the second event was my entering into Lucknow University.
Although it took me years to articulate this into words, still today I do feel that I was challenged with what I perceived as a good man I wanted to grow up into, and what the perception of majority of my fellow students was – associating masculinity with aggression – tobacco use, alcohol, abusive languages and violent offensive lifestyle. Pooja and I were sharing one red ladies cycle between the two of us, and I used to cycle down to university. I had never felt intimidated going on a red ladies cycle to University, but the way this provoked other ‘men’ and the manner in which they found this as un-man-like behaviour, was very intriguing to me, and helped me become resolute about my own convictions.
Engaging the youth
When I began tobacco control discussions in University, this was another activity many fellow-students felt very uncomfortable about. I had never realized that how strong was the gender undertone to the tobacco epidemic.
Instead of being disheartened, I was all the more resolved to go to other colleges, IT College, Awadh Girls’ Degree College, KKC, National Degree College and then move to other schools and colleges in Lucknow. Slowly along the way we had a good team of youth volunteers to steer the campaign.
In early 1990s, another influence penetrated my young mind – this was the young Gandhian who had then quit his IIT Professor job, Dr Sandeep Pandey and his better half Arundhati Dhuru.
2000…
Tobacco companies have knowingly deceptively promoted a product which kills even if it is used as their manufacturer intends. Tobacco kills more than 50 lakh people every year and tobacco industry has no choice but to dupe more than 50 lakh children and youth to protect their tobacco markets. For instance, despite of a blanket ban on tobacco and alcohol advertising in India, today Lucknow is splashed with alcohol and tobacco surrogate advertisements (Loe Tobac cigarettes in the garb of a website www.lowtobaclife.com). Tobacco corporations must be held accountable for the huge loss to life and development they have incurred to our nations.
We have continued our youth-based advocacy initiatives, only that we also work with children and youth outside school boundaries in slums and rural areas. We have encouraged our active youth volunteers to edit 78 issues of Tambakoo Kills over so many years and today we produce a weekly Monitor, reporting violations of tobacco control Act in Lucknow. This is also distributed electronically using an eForum linking more than 1800 people in Lucknow.
The test
In August 2004, I was detected for brain tumour and underwent a major neurosurgery. Not for once I cried or felt scared, but undoubtedly it was an enormous experience to go through. All the blessings of God, which existed in bounty but I had not-seen them before, suddenly became so much engorged.
Each breath, gave me an opportunity to do whatever I could have before the surgery. I feel, that we underestimate the value of our own lives, and it was a tremendously humbling experience to go through. By God’s mercy, I am absolutely fine today.
Marriage
Over the period of years, I have let the ‘constructed’ or ‘imposed’ or perceived need to marry - wither away. The way I look at relationships, I can’t help but feel disconnected to common notions about ‘settling down’. I think I am pretty happily settled with my own self. Genuine companionship is what God has gifted to me in so many friends I interact with, and I don’t feel that to make others happy or to prove myself worthy of being a ‘man’ or a ‘son’, I will ever opt for something I don’t believe in – arranged marriage. I had my share of romantic relationships in college years, and they have only helped me grow and learn more.
Today I am at an age where I am not looking forward to anything-to-happen, rather celebrating life each breath for all the blessings of God Almighty.
