Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Kohima: ACTS Connect launched its fourth Breaking the Silence campaign on November 3 at Mt. Olive College in Kohima. The initiative aims to destroy the stigma around mental health and drug abuse. It targets youth across Nagaland, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, and Meghalaya. The campaign aligns with the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan to build a drug-free India.
Keynote speaker and ACTS Connect director Bendang Imsong urged attendees to turn the movement into daily action. "As we move forward, with BTS 4.0, let us not allow this campaign to remain only a memory of events held and slogans raised," he said. The effort relies on local icons to connect with students.
Major Gen HS Mavi, Inspector General Assam Rifles (North), served as guest of honour. He used the recovery stories of Sanjay Dutt and Robert Downey Jr. to show that addiction is beatable. Special guest Wango Langsym, state nodal officer for the Department of Social Welfare, warned students that drugs ruin futures. He cited former President APJ Abdul Kalam to challenge the youth: "Small aim is a crime, have a great aim in life."
Campaign ambassadors Bahun Nongrum, Lovikali Swu, and rapper ZT Slingshot shared personal insights on peer pressure and academic stress. Slingshot performed at the event, sharing how art helped him handle distress. The program was hosted by Dr. Keren Shohe Mohobo, with Dr. Koseno giving the welcome address and Lujeka Assumi leading the invocation.
Managing Director Ainato Yeptho confirmed the tour schedule. The team hits St. Xavier Higher Secondary School in Jalukie on November 4. Events follow in Jorhat on November 11 and Tezpur on November 12. The grand finale takes place at NEHU in Shillong on November 14.
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