Indian Daddy's Blog

  Samina Mishra is a filmmaker, children's author, and educator based in New Delhi. Her work focuses on media that focuses on children. She often explores themes of childhood, identity, and education, reflecting the diverse realities of growing up in India. Her documentary Happiness Class explores the concept of happiness through the lens of the Happiness Curriculum in Delhi government schools. Additionally, she runs The Magic Key Centre for the Arts and Childhood, a virtual resource hub for children and adults. Her books for children include: Jalmo Walks  Nida Finds a way Where Does it Hurt?

Why Are Harmful Products Like Pan Masala Advertised?  A Conversation with My Son Neel  My son and I often take short trips within or outside the city. During these drives, we frequently come across advertising hoardings for Pan Masala (tobacco) featuring famous celebrities. What's puzzling, especially for my 10-year-old son, is the statutory warning behind the hoardings that says: "Pan Masala is injurious to health." This contradiction is tough to explain, but I’ve tried answering it in a couple of ways. Here's how I explained it to him, hoping it makes sense. In India, pan masala is a product some people have used for many years. It's especially common in certain parts of the country, including Assam. Historically, some communities have chewed things like pan masala or tobacco, which is why businesses advertise them. These companies want to sell their products to people who are used to consuming them. Even though we now know that Pan Masala is harmful to he...