‘Be the torchbearers of drug-free India’ 

Drug abuse among youth not only harms individuals but also erodes the nation’s potential demographic dividend, Union Minister for Coal and Mines G. Kishan Reddy said on Saturday, addressing students at Osmania University in an awareness programme on drug abuse.

Calling upon the students to ‘be the torchbearers of a drug-free India’, he urged them and the teaching community to stand united against substance abuse by creating education and awareness.

Mr. Reddy, Vice-Chancellor Kumar Molugaram, Jai Bharat National Party leader V.V Lakshminarayana, university officials and students from 24 various law colleges discussed collective responsibility to curb drug abuse and related legal measures.

Winners of the essay writing contest on how to encourage awareness driven initiatives against drug menace — Harini Sesha Bhattar, Keshav Memorial College of Law, Thogiti Gayathri from University College of Law, Telangana University, and Ramavanth Rajkumar J from Pendekanti Law College — were presented awards.