Dettol Banega Swasth India launches ‘Folk Music for a Swasth India’ in Tamil to promote hygiene and health in an engaging way

Composed by James Vasanthan, the album has 5 songs and will be available to Spotify users across the globe.

Dettol Banega Swasth India (DBSI) launched hygiene focused Tamil music album- ‘Folk Music for a Swasth India’ in collaboration with Hindu Tamil Thisai and Gramalaya in Chennai.

The music album was launched by Thiru. Ma. Subramanian, minister for health and family welfare, Govt. of Tamil Nadu, Ravi Bhatnagar, director, External Affairs and Partnerships, Reckitt- South Asia, Shankar V Subramaniam, chief operating officer, Hindu Tamil Thisai, James Vasanthan, Music Composer, Hygiene Music Album, Padma Shri Sai Damodaran, Founder & CEO Gramalaya in the presence of students, teachers, doctors, and parents. 

With an aim to encourage a healthy self-care hygiene routine among children, the Tamil Hygiene Music Album has been created emphasizing the best hygiene habits through folk music of Tamil Nadu. The song, ‘Let’s make Tamil Nadu healthy’ is sung by Asal Kolar, ‘Hygiene at School’ is sung by Velmurugan, ‘Hygiene at neighbourhood’ is sung by Antony Dasan, ‘Significance of Handwashing’ is sung by Isaivani and ‘Hygiene at Home’ is sung by Krishaang. Each song is composed to tunes that everyone can hum along to and the lyrics are meaningful. The composition is such that these songs will appeal to audiences across all age groups, including Gen Z and millennials. The songs focus on the key highlights from the Dettol School Hygiene Curriculum which are culturally adaptive.

Commenting on the launch, Thiru. Ma. Subramanian Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Govt. of Tamil Nadu said, “Hindu Tamil Thisai and Dettol Banega Swasth India joined hands and produced an online series - ‘Sutham Sugatharam’ last year. The program sensitised thousands of students, teachers, and parents across Tamil Nadu on the importance of sustained hygiene behaviour for healthy living. In the prevailing situation, there is a need to stress the importance of hygiene behaviour to the people of Tamil Nadu. I sincerely believe that these songs in the hygiene music album will invoke and educate the masses on the significance of hygiene behaviour. My best wishes to everyone who have been a part of this initiative.”

Gaurav Jain, senior vice president, Reckitt South Asia said “Art and Music are powerful tools that can bring about massive societal change and move people to adapt good practices. We are looking at music as a medium to connect with audiences and effectively deliver social messages on health and hygiene. With the Tamil Hygiene Music Album, we are taking hygiene habits through folk music to the children of Tamil Nadu. In our endeavor to create a healthy country by bringing focus on self-care hygiene practices, this initiative is another step from Reckitt towards the mission of ‘Leave No One Behind’.”

Ravi Bhatnagar, director- External Affairs and Partnerships, Reckitt- South Asia, said, “Music is one of the mediums that has the power to connect with audiences and deliver social messages effectively. With the growing popularity of folk music and the rich culture of Tamil Nadu, we believe this Tamil Hygiene Music Album is a great step towards our vision of bringing behavioral changes across the state. With Dettol Banega Swasth India, we are constantly on the lookout for unique opportunities and partnerships which can deliver impactful changes at the grassroot level to create a ‘Swasth India”

Dettol Banega Swasth India’s deep-rooted commitment to drive behaviour change by inculcating the right hygiene practices makes for an important narrative that has been brought through with this album. ‘Folk Music for a Swasth India’ produced by Dettol and composed by James Vasanthan, will reach listeners on Spotify globally, educating the younger generation on best health and hygiene practices rooted in art and heritage. Its uniquely curated songs focus on five key themes: Making Tamil Nadu Healthy, Significance of Handwashing, Hygiene at Home, Hygiene at School, Hygiene in Neighborhood. The lyrics of every song have been composed to emphasize significant messages from the Dettol School Hygiene Curriculum. It is thoughtfully organized with the intention to create hygiene nudges through folk music and build a deeper connection between health & hygiene in a fun way.

Padma Shri Sai Damodaran founder & CEO Gramalaya said, “The Hygiene songs play an important role in educating the children and students studying in schools to learn good hygiene behaviours and motivate children to observe better hygiene practices. Children act as ambassadors of change to transform the hygiene messages to others through child-to-child approach. This will ensure long lasting behavioural changes among the communities in ensuring better health and environment. Dettol Banega Swasth India program inculcates good hygiene practices among the school students through its School Hygiene Education program in Tamil Nadu and South India.”

Shankar V Subramaniam Chief Operating Officer Hindu Tamil Thisai said, “Objective of Dettol Banega Swasth India is to build a healthy future generation of India with good hygiene habits. Towards that, several activities are being executed by DBSI to create awareness amongst children on the need to practice hygiene habits in their daily life, for it to become a way of healthy living. Hindu Tamil Thisai is happy to be associated with DBSI in this endeavor. This hygiene music album will definitely help in driving this message deeper among children and adults.”

James Vasanthan, music composer, Hygiene Music Album said, “India, which is a fast-developing nation, needs to pull up its socks on various fronts. Hygiene is, of course, one. Dettol Banega Swasth India, with its record of creating hygiene awareness among the masses up north, has now come down to the south with its effective media campaigns. The one releasing now in Tamil is a big leap that will take this land to the next level, where it already excels in primary health and hygiene.”

In March 2022, Dettol Banega Swasth India (DBSI) launched India’s first hygiene-focused music album- ‘Folk Music for a Swasth India’ in collaboration with renowned folk music band, Rais Khan Project. With this initiative, Dettol X Rais Khan Project, encouraged people to inculcate the best health and hygiene practices through folk art with a mission to create a ‘Swasth India’.

Dettol’s flagship Banega Swasth India program has been instrumental in creating awareness around hygiene and sanitation while empowering citizens with better health outcomes across the country. The campaign with its dedicated work in school education and nutrition interventions has improved the lives of more than 20 million school kids in India till date, continuing to drive behaviour change leading to a healthier India.