2nd December, 2025
An Online National Consultation on Multi-Stakeholder Engagement for Advancing Tobacco Control in India was held on 2 December 2025, jointly organised by the Resource Centre for Tobacco Control (RCTC), PGIMER Chandigarh, and Vital Strategies. The consultation brought together 233 participants from national and state governments, academic institutions, research bodies, law universities, NGOs, and public health organisations to strengthen inter-sectoral coordination under the National Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP). The programme opened with a welcome address by Prof. (Dr.) Sonu Goel, Director, RCTC, followed by opening remarks from Dr. Amit Yadav, Vital Strategies. The Chief Guest, Dr. L. Swasticharan, DDG, NTCP, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, emphasised tobacco control as a shared national responsibility. Technical insights were provided by Dr. P.C. Gupta, Dr. K. Madan Gopal, and Mr. Ram Singh (Ministry of Education). Panel discussions featuring Dr. Upendra Bhojani, Mr. Prem Taneja, Dr. Hansa Kundu, Prof. (Dr.) Yogesh Pratap Singh, and Dr. Pankaj Bhardwaj highlighted state coalition experiences and mechanisms to institutionalise stakeholder engagement. The consultation concluded with a collective commitment to develop a coordinated multi-sectoral roadmap for a Tobacco-Free India.
