Not many people are aware of the common symptoms associated with coeliac disease. For me, the symptoms started at the age of nine when over a course of four months I would suffer from a high fever every couple of weeks. My GP suggested I get tested for coeliac disease, an autoimmune disorder that is triggered by glutinous foods. Gluten is a protein in wheat, barley, rye, and other grains which are a staple in our diet. The challenges of living on a gluten-free diet and navigating life at boarding school as a coeliac inspired me to start Gluten Free Jio in 2018. It is a social project that aims to increase awareness and provide access to information on coeliac disease and gluten-free diets in India. The resource website (www.glutenfreejio.com) shares tips and tricks for navigating all aspects of life, when suffering from gluten intolerance or coeliac disease.
Motivated by the desire to enable change beyond just myself to my broader community, I started various conversations with local community leaders in partnership with government schools and organisations across the ‘Tricity’ in India (Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula). In the summer of 2018, I began conducting interactive and educational sessions in government schools in Chandigarh and Punjab. I partnered with a laboratory to conduct over one thousand blood tests to determine the presence of coeliac disease. I also authored a children’s book on gluten intolerance, and distributed it among various government schools. This effort was supplemented digitally through my YouTube channel, in Hindi, Punjabi and English, dedicated to the cause.
Due to Covid-19, I was unable to continue the in-person sessions in schools, so I commenced an online webinar series in which specific authorities in the coeliac community that I have liaised with, discussed prominent issues related to living as a coeliac in India.
Further, I recently launched an app (currently active in Chandigarh and the Tricity area) that allows users to identify gluten-free restaurants near them and grocery stores that stock gluten-free brands. In the coming months, I am hoping to make the app available to a pan-India audience. Additionally, my website is in the process of becoming an online marketplace for gluten-free products. It is my desire to donate the majority of the profits to organisations such as the Celiac Disease Foundation, which is conducting major research on a cure or vaccine for coeliac disease. Through sustained efforts over time, I have been able to establish a strong social media presence with over 14,000 followers (and growing!) on Facebook. My work has been recognised by the Mayor of Chandigarh and Senior Councillor, who even attended one of the workshops I hosted.
This year, the Governor of Punjab and Administrator of Chandigarh, His Excellency, Mr. VP Singh Badnore applauded the efforts of Gluten Free Jio (GFJ) and my role as a social change-maker for the community. The aim of GFJ is to raise awareness, to improve the diagnosis rate, and provide support for coeliacs.
Annika, UC5