BENGALURU : With the spotlight turning to drug abuse and names of celebrities cropping up in the issue, city-based fashion student and designer Vijay Karthik Acharya is trying to contribute to the cause of raising awareness in his own way. The 32-year-old student of NIFT Bengaluru has launched a line of T-shirts, Being Drug Free, as a campaign against drug abuse.
“I was thinking of ideas for a project that could be associated with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Since many people were doing something or the other on healthy living, I decided to throw light on the repercussions of drug abuse,” says Acharya, who launched his brand in 2015. He adds that this campaign is a part of a bigger project, wherein he is working on three verticals — prevention, protection, and promotion. “The campaign against drug abuse is a part of the protection campaign.
Next will be about prevention against different diseases caused due to narcotics, and the third will be to promote healthy living,” explains Acharya, revealing that one of the factors driving him towards the initiative was his own health issues.
He met an accident around 10 years ago, resulting in a serious spiral injury, which has made him wheel-chair bound. He also had to discontinue his fashion studies, and only got back to it last year. “During my visits to rehabilitation centres, I encountered many people going through various health ailments. This pushed me to promote healthy living among people,” he says.
Acharya, whose T-shirts (prices starting Rs 699) are available on the Your Design portal, wishes to take the campaign beyond fashion too. He was planning to organise a marathon on the World Drug Abuse Day on June 26 this year. “Since all the live events got cancelled this year, I hope to hold a marathon next year. I am already approaching sponsors for the event,” he adds.