3 min readMay 17, 2026 01:33 PM IST
Written by- Serena Gujral
Drugs have long been a thorn in Punjab’s side. In 2023, as the world recovered from the Covid-19 pandemic, Khushwant Singh — author and former state information commissioner – stumbled upon videos of young boys dying from drug use. Disturbed by what he witnessed, he reflected on the crisis and realised the narrative around it was purely political.
Punjab lacked a social movement against this menace, which led him to launch a People’s Walk Against Drugs that very year (now an annual tradition).
Joined by 10-15 people, mostly friends and family, they marched 95 kilometres from New Chandigarh to Khatkar Kalan to demonstrate and propagate the cause. What struck him, walking through multiple districts and villages, was the number of women who approached with questions on the issue.
He realised mothers could play the “first line of defence against drugs, as they act like the chief ministers of the house”.
In India’s current family structures, mothers spend more time with children, raising them and noticing patterns — putting them in the best place to spot changes and drive the conversation. Singh and Sanaa Kaushal, co-founder of Punjab Lit Foundation, realised a natural progression was a programme educating mothers on signs of drug use. In 2024, they launched Mothers Against Drugs — an initiative under the Punjab Lit Foundation — was born.
A preventive measure rather than treatment, the programme’s motive is to encourage a value system at home — one that teaches children availability of drugs shouldn’t equate to their use.
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According to Singh, drug use stems from “a mental state of nothingness.” Youngsters lean on drugs for mental and emotional support, a crutch for relief from problems. He encourages mothers to acknowledge the issue as it is not limited to young adults — the 10-17 age group now faces heavy consumption rates.
“Mothers are incorruptible when it comes to their children,” Singh says.
One incident lingers with Singh from these demonstrations. A teary-eyed woman approached after a discussion, asking why they hadn’t started two years earlier. Had they come sooner, they could have helped save her brother. This has deepened his investment in the initiative. He hopes to help and save more people before it’s too late.
The initiative isn’t exclusive to mothers. Fathers show up too, supporting them and protesting the tyranny of drug peddling. For Mother’s Day, Singh shares a message: “Mothers, become aware — you’re stronger than you think and can tackle the state’s bigger problems at the grassroots level. Acknowledge the issue, equip yourselves with knowledge to fight back. Make your children stronger mentally and emotionally. We must foster safe environments where they can express themselves openly”.
The author is an intern at The Indian Express
