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By:

Quaid Najmi

4 January 2025 at 8:56:24 pm

The Woman Redefining Healthy Living

Part - 9 Name: Neha Ranglani Where: Mumbai, Maharashtra From social-media-fuelled health obsessions to lifestyle disorders, US-trained integrative nutritionist Neha Ranglani is helping thousands, particularly youngsters, understand their bodies, embrace healthier lifestyles and lead more fulfilling lives. Bombarded with information on social media, Gen Z is more health-conscious than ever. From fitness fads and wellness trends to calorie-counting and restrictive diets, youngsters are...

The Woman Redefining Healthy Living

Part - 9 Name: Neha Ranglani Where: Mumbai, Maharashtra From social-media-fuelled health obsessions to lifestyle disorders, US-trained integrative nutritionist Neha Ranglani is helping thousands, particularly youngsters, understand their bodies, embrace healthier lifestyles and lead more fulfilling lives. Bombarded with information on social media, Gen Z is more health-conscious than ever. From fitness fads and wellness trends to calorie-counting and restrictive diets, youngsters are constantly chasing the ideal body, often at the cost of their physical and mental well-being. But this pursuit of physical perfection can become an obsession and take a toll on health, cautions Ranglani, 39, a functional medical practitioner with nearly two decades of experience. “Gen Z is definitely more aware of health and fitness, but sometimes it goes too far. Social media influences their choices, and the desire to be healthy can become almost obsessive,” she observes. Her advice to youngsters is to steer clear of ‘quick fixes’ and learn to listen to and understand their bodies. “First, I identify the root causes; then the treatment becomes easier,” Ranglani told The Perfect Voice and Vruttamanas on her ‘art of healthy living’ strategy. Rather than recommending fancy diets or indiscriminately adding or eliminating foods, she focuses on individual needs and identifies underlying problems. She then helps people build healthier habits that nurture physical and emotional well-being. “I strongly believe that the human body is a wonderful creation; it has an innate capacity to heal and restore balance when given the right support. Balanced nutrition, regular physical activity, stress management, adequate sleep and attention to nutritional deficiencies can all contribute to better health. Where necessary, I provide personalised nutritional support that can help bridge identified gaps, alongside appropriate medical care,” she elaborated. So far, Ranglani has helped more than 40,000 people worldwide on their journeys towards better health. Her clients range from children as young as five to senior citizens aged 85, with concerns spanning obesity, diabetes, thyroid imbalances and other lifestyle-related conditions. For Gen Z, seemingly caught in a perpetual hurry to achieve quick results, her message is particularly relevant: resist the lure of instant transformations and unrealistic expectations. Instead, cultivate self-awareness, patience and consistency to achieve sustainable results. Ranglani emphasises that the ultimate goal is not lifelong dependence on wellness programmes or supplements, but the ability to make informed lifestyle choices through greater health awareness and discipline. “By helping people understand their bodies and adopt healthier habits, I try to empower them to take greater ownership of their own fitness and long-term well-being,” she declared. “My message to the current generation is simple: there is no perfect formula for health. Instead of fighting your body, learn to understand it, nourish it and give it the right environment to repair itself and thrive. The results can be wonderful, not just for you but also for those around you,” concluded Ranglani with a smile.

The Educator’s Delicate Balance

Writer: Bhaskar Nath Biswal
Bhaskar Nath Biswal
3 hours ago
3 min read

The rising frequency of student suicides across educational institutions in India has cast a dark shadow over the academic landscape. When young lives are cut short in spaces meant for growth and learning, grief naturally turns into an urgent search for accountability. In many tragic instances, criminal complaints of abetment to suicide are swiftly registered against teachers and hostel wardens who administered discipline or reported misconduct shortly before the event. This complex intersection between academic enforcement, legal liability, and emotional distress presents a profound dilemma for educators nationwide. Addressing this delicate balance requires examining recent judicial rulings that protect standard teaching duties while simultaneously emphasizing the irreplaceable role educators play in safeguarding youth mental health.


Legal Relief

In a significant legal decision, the Odisha High Court recently delivered a ruling that brings crucial clarity and reassurance to the teaching fraternity. Quashing criminal charges brought against an educator and a hostel warden following the unfortunate death of a sixteen-year-old student, the High Court held that routine disciplinary actions do not automatically constitute abetment to suicide. The court clarified that establishing an offence of abetment requires prima facie evidence of active instigation, intentional aiding or explicit criminal intent, a threshold that standard reprimands or warnings to parents fail to meet.


The court rightfully observed that maintaining order, curbing substance abuse and enforcing school standards are integral components of an educator’s professional and moral obligation. Subjecting teachers to criminal prosecution for simply performing their duty creates an atmosphere of fear, rendering educators hesitant to correct wrongful behaviour or uphold discipline.


This legal framework finds resonance in other recent academic tragedies across the country, including the widely discussed student suicide at IIT Bombay. In that instance, an invigilator caught a student using unfair means during an examination and initiated standard institutional protocols. When the distressed student subsequently took their life, severe charges of abetment were slapped against the faculty member, causing widespread debate across academia. The Odisha High Court judgment underscores a vital principle relevant to such cases: enforcing examination integrity or administrative rules, when conducted without malicious intent, cannot be equated with driving a student to self-harm. Educators act out of a duty to uphold institutional standards and holding them criminally liable for unexpected outcomes strips them of the ability to govern classrooms effectively.


While legal protections shield educators from unjust prosecution, teachers cannot completely sideline their broader responsibility toward understanding student mentality. A judicial discharge does not absolve the academic ecosystem of its moral duty to handle young minds with care and empathy. Adolescents and young adults often experience intense academic pressure, heightened sensitivity to public reprimands and fear of parental disappointment. A stern admonition that appears routine to an adult can feel like an insurmountable crisis to a vulnerable student.


Teachers occupy a unique and unmatched position in society. More than anyone else in the world, educators interact with young individuals during their most formative and emotionally plastic years. They possess the proximity to spot subtle shifts in behaviour, withdrawal, sudden drops in performance or signs of emotional turmoil that even parents might overlook. Consequently, while discipline remains necessary, the manner in which it is delivered matters immensely. Reprimands should aim to correct and reform rather than humiliate or isolate. Avoiding harsh public shaming, offering private counselling alongside warnings and creating a supportive space where mistakes can be corrected without fear of absolute ruin are essential steps in preventing emotional collapse.


Acting Responsibly

Preventing student suicides requires educators to act as both disciplinarians and compassionate mentors. Educational institutions must foster an environment where accountability is coupled with mental health support. When a teacher detects misconduct or academic failure, the response should integrate corrective guidance with counselling services, ensuring that the student understands that a mistake is not the end of their future.


By approaching discipline with sensitivity and recognizing the delicate psychological state of modern students, teachers can bridge the gap between authority and empathy. Teachers hold the unique power to inspire resilience and instil hope in young minds. By actively fulfilling this empathetic role alongside their professional obligations, the teaching community can play a decisive, lifesaving role in curbing the tragedy of student suicides across the nation.


(The writer is a former college Principal and Founder of Supporting Shoulders, an Odisha-based non-profit Trust. Views personal.)

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