Remember Chacha Chaudhary from your childhood days? Now in a new avatar. Read to know more

Ravi S Singh

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 2

Having covered some distance in the drive to cleanse river Ganga and consequent invigoration of ecology along its banks in the basin States, the Union Jal Shakti Ministry has made Chacha Chaudhary—the iconic Indian super hero of comic book series—the mascot of “Namami Ganga” to raise awareness on the importance of the river.

In effect, the Namami Ganga, which had till now been a disembodied initiative of the Union Jal Shakti Ministry through National Mission of Clean Ganga (NMCG), will now have a face to it.

NMCG Director General Rajiv Ranjan Mishra said it has been tied-up with Diamond Toons to develop and distribute comics, e-comics and animated videos centering Chacha Chaudhary.

“The content will be designed with the objective of bringing about behavioral change amongst children towards Ganga and other rivers,” Mishra said.

Diamond Toons produces the comics related to the character.

Iconic Chacha Chaudhary will be Namami Gange’s mascot.

NMCG has been focusing on youth as part of its outreach and public communications efforts as they are the impellers of change.

The character jumps out of the pages of the comics with his avuncular interventions marked by smart and innovative ideas having an uncanny knack of an effective detective to solve problems.

Chacha Chaudhary will be characterised on themes and subjects to purvey nuggets of information on importance of the river, including with regard to environment,flora and fauna and the entire shebang that goes with ecology. 

It will be in a manner to effectively deliver the homilies, especially to the children and youth.  

 “Ganga invokes a sense of deep reverence, replete with religious and spiritual significance. It is laden with meta thoughts which are difficult to capture in bone-dry words,” a functionary of the Jal Shakti Ministry said. “Hence, the need for symbols.”

Chacha Chaudhary can be useful in ground-level activation for Ganga rejuvenation.

The total estimated budget of the Chacha Chaudhary project is Rs. 2.26 crore.