Campaign urges India to look beyond the traditional symbolism of the rakhi and view protection as the freedom and opportunity to thrive
Indore: Ahead of Raksha Bandhan, 2030 Ka Bharat, an organisation working to advance India’s progress on Zero Hunger (SDG 2), Quality Education (SDG 4) and Clean Energy (SDG 7), has launched a new campaign film titled “Let’s Redefine Raksha.”
The campaign takes a contemporary look at the traditional idea of raksha or protection. Opening with the familiar ritual of a rakhi being tied around a wrist, the film then follows a young woman navigating different aspects of her everyday life—from leading a professional meeting to moving confidently through the city and expressing herself freely.
At the heart of the campaign is a simple message: protection should not mean restriction or dependence. Instead, it should create the conditions for people to become confident, independent and capable of shaping their own futures through access to opportunity, education and dignity.
“Raksha Bandhan has always been associated with protection and care. This year, we wanted to explore what protection should mean for India as we move towards 2030. For us, the answer lies in creating opportunity,” said Dr Atul Malikram, Founder and CEO, 2030 Ka Bharat.
He added that the organisation’s work with communities has demonstrated that sustainable change comes from enabling people to become self-reliant. From classrooms to street markets and communities affected by hunger, the focus, he said, is on building the capacity of individuals to stand on their own feet.
The campaign reflects 2030 Ka Bharat’s wider grassroots initiatives. Its Teachers’ Empowerment Program has trained more than 1,200 government-school teachers, while Project Uplift has supported over 450 street vendors with branding assistance and improved market access.
Through these initiatives, the organisation seeks to reinforce the idea that empowerment and independence can represent a more meaningful and lasting form of protection than dependency.
The campaign film is now available online, with 2030 Ka Bharat inviting citizens, media organisations and partners to participate in the conversation around Raksha Bandhan and reconsider the meaning of protection in a changing India.
About 2030 Ka Bharat
2030 Ka Bharat is a nodal organisation working across India to advance three Sustainable Development Goals—Zero Hunger, Quality Education and Clean Energy—selected for their potential to create meaningful change in people’s everyday lives. According to the organisation, its initiatives have reached more than 25,000 children and families to date.
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