As the great saying goes – “Practice what you preach”, we would like to begin with JHS & aquawhite credentials in
going Vocal for Local.
At JHS Svendgaard laboratories (JHS), we have already been
walking the talk by domestically manufacturing
world-class oral care products for some of the top international and national
brands. Currently, JHS is manufacturing for Dabur,
Patanjali, Amway, and Vestige
amongst others.
We have also launched a proprietary brand – ‘aqua white, which
has an exclusive focus on kids' oral care needs. The homegrown brand brought
innovations in the kid's segment which were an industry first like locally
manufactured fluoride-free toothpaste to make brushing a safe affair for
children, even if they swallow the toothpaste due to its taste or while
learning to brush. This is because in the Indian context, where water already has
high fluoride content and any additional fluoride intake especially while
brushing may harm kids from growing bones.
Dentists recommend brushing twice a day for two minute
duration. Aquawhite launched India’s first range of toothbrushes with inbuilt flashlight/music with auto-off two a minute timer to help kids inculcate correct brushing habits and have fun
simultaneously. aquawhite
is the official (and the only) brand
that holds licenses for the popular & most prominent kids characters in
India like Chhota Bheem, Angry Birds, Peppa Pig, Hello Kitty, The Jungle Book,
PAW Patrol, Pokémon, Shimmer and Shine, Shiva, SpongeBob Square Pants.
Vocal for Local – Not
just a campaign but a belief.
Self-Reliance is in our blood, we just have to believe it.
The next few paragraphs illustrate the deep-rooted nature of Vocal for Local and what we all can do
to benefit from it.
The lineage
There is no doubt that India is amongst a handful of oldest
living civilizations today, with only a few privileged partners like Egypt,
Greece and China. We all have known this fact but hardly ever realized the
implications of this lineage, especially considering the widely acknowledged
advanced nature of ancient India.
Indians were pioneers in improving the quality of life for
mankind by their discoveries/inventions from time immemorial. India gave the concept of ‘Zero’ in
mathematics which helped humans expand their knowledge of how things work and were
instrumental in the development of almost everything under the sun today. The list
of such contributions by India / Indians to the world is almost endless.
External Influences
With treasures beyond measure, it was but natural for our
country to become a target of settlement for newer, less civilized races in due
course of time. With India’s non-violent nature and embedded inclusiveness in
culture, these external forces had an impact on the shape of things to come.
With the dilution of India’s culture owing to various factors and passage of
time, our self-belief also suffered, leading to other nations taking undue
advantage of us.
The Present
Interconnected Nature Of The World
Humanity has evolved from living in closely guarded
geographies to virtually a borderless world where countries are connected
intrinsically. In present times, we have experienced how closely interconnected,
the act of each country is with others. This has become true in every sphere of
life including economic. While undoubtedly, this phenomenon has immense
benefits for all, it can also create unprecedented situations. The present
COVID 19 pandemic and the ones before it also, illustrate this point.
Maintaining Balance
This pandemic, unlike others before, is likely to bring some
permanent changes in the way we conduct ourselves going forward. While it would
be difficult to totally do away with the interconnected and globalized nature
of world affairs/economy, there will be a greater focus on as much
self-reliance as possible to shield oneself from some inevitable vested
interests around the world.
COVID 19 Pandemic – Lessons
Learnt & Time for Course Correction.
With major countries of the world realizing the need to
internalize key components of the economy, it is more a wish list than an
actionable reality for most. However, for a country like ours which is naturally
endowed with resources and has a legacy of ‘been
there, done that’, it is more a matter of belief and will. Strong leadership can stimulate the resilience
in the country’s public not just to restore the ‘sone ki chidiya’ tag for India in modern times, but also take its
rightful place in the world order, to establish peace and development for humanity
at large. With the world in reboot mode due to this pandemic, it might just be
the right time to go Vocal for Local.
Our Prime Minister’s leadership
and repeated call to action
Be it Make in India campaign or the more recent Vocal for Local call, our Hon’ble PM
understands India’s lineage and has been calling us time and again, at every
opportunity to live up to it. We are fortunate to have a strong leader committed
to this cause. It is now up to us to contribute our bit towards this cause and
build a nation that rightfully occupies its place in the world.
Doing our bit in Vocal
for Local
The economy is majorly driven either by exports or by
consumption. India is perhaps among the very few countries in the world which
can afford the consumption-led model owing to its demography, geography, and a multitude of other factors.
As individuals, the best thing which we can do is start
prioritizing the use of Indian Brands in our everyday consumption. In cases
where it is difficult to follow this, we can at least go for foreign brands
made in India. However, Indian brands have made their mark almost everywhere
and we just need to be conscious before buying.
Businesses and organizations can do their bit by keeping as
many manufacturing and supply chains in India as possible. It may entail doing
away with some cost efficiencies but will ensure greater reliability and
sustainability in the future. The continuity of business is more important than
some short term financial gains. Besides, this move will create more jobs and
employment in our country which shall further boost our economy and businesses.
# Go Vocal for Local, India!
