The Department of Medical and Health, Government of Rajasthan, has been conferred the top honour in the South-East Asia Region at the World Health Organization's World No Tobacco Day Awards 2026, recognising the state's exemplary tobacco control initiatives during 2025-26. The award places Rajasthan at the forefront of public health governance in the region and signals a measurable shift in how Indian states approach anti-tobacco policy.

What the Award Recognises

The WHO World No Tobacco Day Awards are conferred annually across six global regions — the African Region, the Region of the Americas, the Eastern Mediterranean Region, the European Region, the South-East Asia Region, and the Western Pacific Region. Rajasthan's Department of Medical and Health secured the top position within the South-East Asia Region for its sustained, multi-pronged approach to reducing tobacco use across the state.

Key Developments in Rajasthan's Tobacco Control Drive

The state currently operates more than 500 tobacco cessation treatment and counselling centres, with coverage extending to the block level. These centres have been geo-tagged and integrated with digital platforms, allowing citizens to locate the nearest facility with ease. Over 83,000 schools have been brought under 'Tobacco-Free School' guidelines, while the 'Tobacco-Free Village' campaign is being actively rolled out across rural Rajasthan, linked to the Ayushman Adarsh Gram Yojana to ensure community-level participation.

Enforcement has been strengthened under the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act, 2003 and the Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Act, 2019. Awareness campaigns on social media generated more than 60,000 messages and public outreach activities, while approximately 2,55,000 awareness activities — including street plays, rallies, and public competitions — were organised across the state.

What the Government Said

Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma said the honour reflects the state government's 'unwavering commitment to public health, effective policy implementation, and its vision of building a Tobacco-Free Rajasthan.' He added that the government is 'continuously taking concrete and result-oriented steps to protect citizens, especially the youth, from the harmful effects of tobacco consumption.'

Medical and Health Minister Gajendra Singh Khimsar described Rajasthan as 'a benchmark model for tobacco control across the country,' noting that tobacco cessation services have been significantly expanded, benefiting lakhs of people. He affirmed that the government will continue strengthening the movement through enhanced awareness campaigns and stricter enforcement in the coming years.

Why This Recognition Matters

India carries one of the world's heaviest tobacco burdens, with tobacco use linked to a significant share of cancer and cardiovascular disease deaths annually. A state-level WHO recognition in this context is notable — it signals that sub-national governments can drive meaningful public health outcomes through consistent enforcement and grassroots outreach, without waiting for central mandates. Notably, Rajasthan's model integrates digital infrastructure with on-ground campaigns, a combination that public health experts have increasingly advocated as the most effective approach for behaviour change at scale.

The award also arrives as several Indian states are under pressure to improve compliance with the COTPA framework, making Rajasthan's recognition a potential reference point for policy replication elsewhere.