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At the interactive seminar on ‘Health, Tradition, and Mindful Living, All-Millet lunch showcased the nutritional and healing power of traditional grains
Padma Shri awardee and India’s Millet Man, Dr Khadar Vali, led an interactive session emphasising how simple dietary shifts, especially the inclusion of millets, can dramatically improve health and lifestyle. The event concluded with an All-Millet Lunch showcasing the nutritional and healing power of traditional grains.
Dr Vali was speaking at the interactive seminar on ‘Health, Tradition, and Mindful Living ‘. As many as 200 who’s who of Jaipur city, including jewellers, industrialists, and bureaucrats, gathered at Vasansi to return to wholesome grains and simple dietary shifts that can transform their lifestyle and health. Also present on the occasion were Shailendra Sancheti, Jyoti, Samprati, Arushi, Shubhita, Yash, Shuchita, and Amruda Nair from Leela Mumbai, among others.
In the beginning, Founder and Director Vasansi Jaipur, Shailendra Sancheti remarked, “The kitchen is our sacred space — the place we must revere. It is where everything begins, for the body derives its true strength from what we consume. By honoring this space and nourishing ourselves wisely, we enhance blood circulation, fortify our natural defenses, and build lasting resilience.” Earlier, Shuchita Sancheti, in her welcome remarks, emphasized that eating healthy food is not merely a habit but a way of living better each day.
Speaking at the session, Dr Vali, who is widely regarded as the pioneer of India’s millet revolution, said:
“Millets help in reviving brain-gut health. Health to the core can be directed by fibers, and millets are rich in them.”
Highlighting the pressing need to return to traditional food habits, he criticized modern diets based on rice, wheat, and sugar. “Sugar is the last thing that one should put in the mouth. These foods have become addictions like liquor and tobacco. We must bring millets back into our kitchens.”
Dr Vali strongly cautioned against the growing dependence on the pharmaceutical sector. “India is spending billions of dollars every year on the medical-pharma sector, yet people are not leading healthy lives. If you want to keep doctors away for life, the way is through millets.”
He also linked food choices to intergenerational health: “Due to our worsening health, fertility centres are coming up everywhere. The only route is to get back to our roots, consume traditional cereals, and be healthy.”
Dr Vali stressed that only 3.2 per cent of India’s population consumes millets, a figure he believes must be increased to ensure national health security. He explained how major millets provide nutrition while minor millets are fiber-rich, helping to detoxify the body naturally.
“You don’t need detox centers. Your food will do that job if you rotate different types of millets every two days.”
The session ended with a clear call to action for individuals and policymakers alike: adopt millets as the staple diet, reduce dependency on processed food, and build a sustainable, healthy future.