It's unfortunate that so many people aren't aware of basic hygienic practices: Manushi Chhillar

Shreyanka Mazumdar | TNN | Updated: Feb 2, 2018, 19:38 IST

It's unfortunate that so many people aren't aware of basic hygienic practices: Manushi Chhillar
Miss World, the 20-year-old Manushi Chhillar 's victory at the prestigious contest has more meaning than just the title. For her, the coveted title is also about channelising her vision of improving menstrual hygiene conditions for women. And thus, her noble cause fetched her the Beauty with a Purpose title at the Miss World pageant. The beautify with brains is using her medical background ( she's a cardiac surgeon in the making) to focus much-needed attention on an issue that is often regarded in Indian society as a subject that is taboo — menstrual hygiene. The Beauty with a Purpose tour of 2018 has finally commenced and Manushi is in Kolkata to create awareness about the cause.
Manushi had been an advocate of menstrual health and hygiene, even before she had begun her Miss World journey. At a media interaction, she said, "I was 18 when I had this idea. It's unfortunate that so many people aren't aware of basic hygienic practices. They don't have access to hygiene products too. This affected me and I wanted to do something about it. I wanted to bring about a change.But like any other 18-year-old int he world, I didn't know how to bring about that change. It all started with guidance from my parents."

Manushi also brought to notice the issue about disposal of sanitary napkins. "The disposal is a big issue because these aren't bio-degradable. From the visit to Aakar's Sanitary Pad Unit in Indian Jute Industries Research Association (IJIRA) in Taratala, I got to know that natural raw materials can well be used to make sanitary napkins. I was quite taken aback at this. A sustainable model for good menstrual management is something we need," she added.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/manushi-chillar-in-kolkata/articleshow/62755403.cms