In line with the vision of Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modiji, year 2023 has been declared as the International year of Millets (IYoM 2023) to make it a peoples’ movement so that the Indian millets, recipes, value added products are accepted globally.
Continuing the momentum, the Millets Committee of IIM Bodh Gaya in collaboration with Hostel and Mess committee organised an exhibition on millet awareness program named MILLETVERSE on 22nd of December 2022.
The Honourable Director Dr. Vinita S. Sahay led this campaign along with Chairperson-Millet Committee Dr. Teena Bharti, and Dr. Nanda Choudhury (Member- Millet Committee), entire Millet Committee and Hostel and Mess Committee representatives of IIM Bodh Gaya. Director, IIM Bodh Gaya shed the light on the various health benefits of including millets in diet. She highlighted that by bringing a small change in your eating habits the vast benefits in terms of high energy, more productivity, clear thinking, and physiology can be experienced in day-to-day life. The idea of sustainable crops itself adds to the Mindful and sustainable consumption which is a way of living where individuals are conscious of the environmental, social, and economic impacts of their consumption habits. It involves making intentional and informed choices that prioritize the well-being of the planet and its inhabitants, both now and in the future. This is in line with the vision of the institute i.e., “to develop mindful and socially responsible leaders”.
Once a staple in the Indian diet, millets have been a long-lost entity for almost 4 decades. Therefore, the entire aim of the awareness initiative is to promote the intake of millets in our day-to-day life, generate awareness about their nutritional and health benefits and their adaptability for cultivation under unfavourable and changing climatic conditions and also to direct policy attention in this direction as well. This cause was totally kicked off by getting millets included through various nutritious items in breakfast, lunch, snacks, and dinner of the hostel mess menu. The awareness was raised through posters and banners on social media handles as well as hostels of IIMBG along with community discussions, as well as organising interviews and seminars.
