In school farewell parties, Sharma Sir never missed ‘lecturing’ his students on the importance of abstinence from alcohol. He taught chemistry to class 12 and knew only too well that many of his students tasted liquor for the first time at these farewell dos. 

Ten years after one such class 12 farewell party, Sharma Sir was surprised to receive an invitation to a reunion of one of his former classes. He wondered uneasily if those students paid heed to his words of caution or he would see them drinking at the reunion. 

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Sharma Sir’s story is part of a series titled Meri Pyaari Zindagi, a collaboration between Gaon Connection and the World Health Organization Regional Office for South East Asia (WHO SEARO) to promote awareness about the ill effects of alcohol.

Losing his son to ‘drinks at a party’

There was a deep rooted reason why Sharma Sir never failed to warn his students against alcohol consumption. It was after one such party, when he was on his way back home, that his son had met with an accident and was killed. 

Ever since, Sharma Sir was haunted by questions: Was his son forced to drink alcohol by his friends? Or did he consume liquor voluntarily? 

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He would never know what happened that night because his son was dead. But, Sharma Sir made sure that at every farewell party of his students he was invited to, he urged them to stay away from alcoholic drinks. He wondered how many of the students who were meeting today had paid heed to his words.

Scene at the Reunion

Sharma Sir arrived at the reunion. Most of the students he had taught were no longer the lanky, gangly teenagers he remembered. They were strapping young adults now. 

The teachers were invited on to the stage where they were felicitated.  

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When it was the turn of Sharma Sir to be felicitated, his students overwhelmed him with what they had to say. 

“We will be forever indebted to you for guiding us at an impressionable age when students drink often due to peer pressure.  You’ll be glad to know that we have stayed away from alcohol, and all thanks to you,” one of his former students said.

So happy was Sharma Sir, that he dropped his usual reserve and danced with his former students that evening. 

Alcohol’s impact on health

As per a report published by the World Health Organization titled Global status report on alcohol and health 2018, alcohol per capita consumption increased in the WHO Western Pacific and South-East Asia regions.

These regions include the highly populated countries of China and India. In China, the per capita consumption of alcohol has risen from 4.1 litres in 2005 to 7.2 litres in 2016. In India, the per capita consumption of liquor has gone from 2.4 litres in 2005 to 5.7 litres in 2016. 

Also, WHO India has predicted that by 2030, the country would have suffered an economic loss of USD 1.03 trillion due to mental health conditions and a host of these mental health issues are linked to alcohol abuse.