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World No Tobacco Day 2025 – Tobacco Control Training for Security Personnel

Published on: May 31, 2025

Tobacco Control Training for Security Personnel under COTPA Act, 2003

In an effort to strengthen tobacco control measures within the healthcare setting and move towards a tobacco-free campus, a training session under the provisions of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act (COTPA), 2003 was organized for the security personnel of Himalayan Institute of Medical Sciences (HIMS) on 28th May 2025. The initiative was conducted by the Department of Community Medicine, in collaboration with Balajee Seva Sansthan, Dehradun, and witnessed enthusiastic participation from the hospital’s frontline staff.

The training was aimed to sensitize security staff to the health hazards of tobacco use, educate them on the provisions and enforcement of the COTPA Act, strengthen their role as frontline enforcers in creating a tobacco-free hospital environment and promote vigilance and ensure strict implementation of anti-tobacco norms on campus.

The session was led by Ms. Mamta Thapa, representative from Balaji Seva Sansthan, Dehradun, was focused on an overview of the COTPA Act and its importance in public spaces, roles and responsibilities of security personnel in preventing tobacco use within hospital premises and real-life case studies and examples of successful enforcement strategies. The session was followed by an engaging question and answer session, where security guards raised queries and shared their experiences related to tobacco use enforcement.

A total of 30 security guards attended the training and actively participated in the interactive session. Certificates of participation were distributed to all attendees in recognition of their role in supporting the hospital’s mission of a tobacco-free environment.

The training marked a significant step in the implementation of tobacco control policies at HIMS. Security personnel, being the first point of contact for all visitors and staff, were empowered to play a proactive role in discouraging tobacco use on campus. The Department of Community Medicine plans to conduct regular reinforcement sessions and collaborate with Balaji Seva Sansthan for further outreach and awareness initiatives to make SRHU a model tobacco-free institution.

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International Endowed Chair Professor

Prof Rakesh Kumar

Prof Rakesh Kumar is the Founder and President of the Breast Cancer in Young Women Foundation (USA), dedicated to vaddressing the distinct issues affecting young women with breast cancer. He also serves as the International Endowed Chair Professor at the Cancer Research Institute of the Himalayan Institute of Medical Sciences. Additionally, he holds adjunct professorships at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School and Virginia Commonwealth University.

Dr Kumar earned his Ph.D. from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in 1984 and began his research career at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in January 1986. From 1988 to 2017, he held various academic and leadership positions —including faculty member, tenured professor, distinguished professor, endowed chair, department chair, and research leader—at esteemed institutions such as Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York and the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. From 2017 to 2022, he served as the National Chair for Cancer Research for the Government of India and as a distinguished professor, continuing his innovative work in breast cancer research.

With nearly 40 years of research and professional experience, Dr. Kumar has made conceptual contributions to the field of cancer research (h-index 108, citations >50,000). He has authored over 325 peer-reviewed publications, edited or co-edited nine books, and delivered 290 invited lectures worldwide. His work has been featured on the covers of 18 major cancer journals and has been highlighted in institutional research reports of the MD Anderson Cancer Center.

A passionate educator and mentor, Dr. Kumar has guided 67 trainees throughout his career. He serves on the editorial boards of multiple leading cancer journals and has served on the editorial boards of 21 top cancer journals. His global reputation is further demonstrated by his participation in about 100 peer-review panels for cancer research funding in the US and internationally over the past 28 years.

Dr. Kumar's innovative research has earned him numerous prestigious honors, including the Hinkle Society Faculty Award at Penn State University (1994), the Dalla/Fort Worth Living Legend Faculty Achievement Award in Basic Sciences (2004), the Ranbaxy Research Award (2006), and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Association of Indian Scientists in Cancer Research (2013), among others. Dr. Kumar's pioneering research continues to have a profound influence on the fields of oncology and breast cancer, opening up new opportunities for biomedical scientists and trainees worldwide.