Mysuru: Master Ishan Chetan who is taking out an awareness campaign against the use of banned plastic for the past five months, the youngest person to do so, has been roped in as a brand ambassador for Swacch Bharath Abhiyan by Mysuru City Corporation (MCC). He also figures in Golden Book of World Records. He is among five other brand ambassadors including former Indian cricketer Javagal Srinath, Pramoda Devi Wadiyar, Yoga talent Kushi and Yaduveer Wadiyar who have been roped in by Mysuru City Corporation.
After MCC recognised his initiatives, he is all pumped up and wishes to take up awareness camaigns not only in Mysuru and the neighboring districts but also every place he visits. Shruthi Chetan, the proud mother of Chetan who works as Assistant Commissioner of Commercial Taxes said, “First of all, I just want to thank MCC for recognising my son’s initiative. With this honour as brand ambassador for Swacch Bharath Abhiyan, there is more responsibility on Chetan. Hope Chetan takes it up and creates more awareness not only in Mysuru but also in other places as well.”
Speaking to Newskarnataka, the 4-and-half-year old Ishan Chetan who is studying LKG in Small Wonder school, said “I am really feeling happy with the award and honour. The award really made me take up more awareness programmes which I will definitely expand in days to come. I thank my mother for her encouragement and motivation to take up this campaign.”
Dr Nagaraj, Chief Health Officer, Mysuru City Corporation, said “It is really nice to see such a young boy having so much concern towards environment. He is just about 5 years old but has already visited more than 300 shops and requested them not to use banned plastics and instead use paper bags or cloth bags. He is an inspiration to others and hence, we have roped him in as the brand ambassador for Swacch Bharath Abhiyan. According to me, he is the youngest in the country to be nominated as brand ambassador for Swacch Bharath Abhiyan.
After seeing Ishan’s initiative, many people including few corporators have also started giving paper bags to shop owners requesting them not to use plastics. Ishan Chetan who has created a Golden Book of World Record is the only 4-and-half year old kid in India who is creating awareness about the harmful effects of banned plastics.
Ishan’s aim is to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and request him to ban plastics across the country. He has been campaigning against banned plastics for the past nearly five months. He has visited as many as 320 shops including on Terresian College Road, Dr. Rajkumar Road, Sardar Vallabhai Patel Nagar, Alanahalli, Siddartha Layout, Kuvempu Nagar, Hebbal, Metagalli, Gokulam, Alanahalli and KRS in the process. After explaining about the adverse effects of banned plastics, he hands over a couple of paper bags to the shopkeepers. Initially, Chetan was sensitised by his mother and he also gained information through social media.
As he was very fond of environment and conservation, his mother showed him a video where a cow died due to eating of plastics. Immediately, he asked his mother for a solution. She told him that people get plastics from shops and if the shopkeepers stop giving things in plastic bags the problem could be minimised. He had also asked his mother what is the alternative. She told him cloth and paper bags are the only alternatives for plastics. He took money from his piggy box, bought few paper bags and started visit the shops requesting their keepers not to use plastics. During his visit to these shops, there were also couple of incidents wherein some of the indifferent shop owners discouraged him but Chetan didn’t get disappointed and continued his work. Shruthi said her child’s activities are more important than anything else for her and wants him to develop healthy habits.
