Lead poisoning can have long-lasting effects on brain development: India’s Lean Man Thuppil Venkatesh

Lead poisoning in children can have severe and long-lasting effects on brain development, said public health expert Thuppil Venkatesh, popularly known as India’s Lead Man.

Inaugurating an awareness workshop on lead contamination for teachers here on Monday, Mr. Venkatesh appealed to the public to work collectively to prevent lead poisoning.

Lead can severely damage the nervous system and brain cells, he said. Even minimal lead exposure can cause significant damage to the developing brain. “As lead levels increase, a child’s IQ declines, memory retention weakens and behavioural changes occur. It is essential for teachers and parents to understand this,” Mr. Venkatesh said.

Lead is commonly found in paints, toys, food items, vegetables and hair dyes. He cautioned the public to exercise care when handling such products and emphasised the importance of maintaining hygiene, consuming nutritious food and avoiding lead-containing substances.

Mr. Venkatesh said his team has trained approximately 50,000 to 60,000 teachers across the State to spread awareness about lead contamination. “It is not enough to create smart cities; we must create smart people and smart children,” he remarked.

The workshop was jointly organised by the Karnataka Department of Health and Family Welfare and Subbaiah Research Institute and Rotary Club of Shivamogga East at a government school in Durgigudi.

District Surveillance Officer Nagaraj Naik, Forest Department nodal officer Harshavardhan and others attended the event.