FICCI CASCADE organises inter-school competition to drive awareness about ill-effects of illicit trade  

• 650 students from 85 schools participated in the competition; Judged by Former Chief, RAW; Former Director, CBI and Former Secretary Law, GoI

 NEW DELHI :  Seeking to raise awareness among young minds about the threats posed by illicit trade, FICCI CASCADE (Committee Against Smuggling and Counterfeiting Activities Destroying the Economy) today organized an inter-school competition on the theme ‘Role of Youth in Making India Free from Smuggling & Counterfeiting’. The competition featured three categories: Elocution, Poster-Making, and Jingle Writing and with over 650 students representing 85 leading schools across Delhi and the NCR region participated in the competition.

The competition was judged by Mr Sanjeev Tripathi, Former Chief, Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW); Mr Anil Sinha, Former Director, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Mr P. K. Malhotra, Former Secretary, Ministry of Law & Justice, Govt. of India.

Mr Sanjeev Tripathi, Former Chief, Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW), said, “School children are the future of our nation and will play a key role in powering the growth trajectory of India. Thus, it is necessary to sensitise them about the ill-effects of smuggling and counterfeiting from an early age. FICCI CASCADE has been assiduously working towards driving awareness around the menace of illicit trade and an initiative of this nature is an effective way of further propagating this message.”

Mr Anil Sinha, Former Director, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), said, “Illicit trade activities have far-reaching consequences, posing both economic and security threats. It is crucial to educate young minds about the importance of being vigilant and avoiding illicit goods and services. By becoming aware consumers and responsible citizens, they can contribute to building a society that thrives on ethical practices.”

Mr. P.K. Malhotra, Former Secretary Law, Ministry of Law & Justice, Government of India, said, “Illicit trade harms societies and impedes economic growth. As children are the future and are vulnerable to influence by those involved in illicit trade activities, it is crucial to make them aware of the detrimental effects of such practices. I commend FICCI CASCADE for taking the initiative to engage school children in a creative manner to spread the important message of combating the menace of illicit trade.”

FICCI CASCADE is a dedicated forum on the agenda of combating smuggling and counterfeiting.  Over the years, FICCI CASCADE has been working relentlessly on creating large-scale awareness about the ill-effects of smuggling among the most impacted segment, the consumer. The Committee’s youth awareness program has offered the opportunity to bring in more people, particularly youngsters, to push forward its actions to curb illicit trade in India. Along with policymakers, industry, enforcement officials and media, FICCI CASCADE has been working closely with the country’s youth in its fight to address this issue through various interschool and intercollege competitions and programmes.