Zerodha CEO Nithin Kamath is known for his advice on financial matters but on Tuesday he shared the benefits of adding millet (ragi) to one's food basket. In a series of tweets, he said millet is healthier and tastier, and most people don't know that millets are also good for the planet because they consume much less water and pesticides. "The reason why everyone should introduce millet and talk about it too," he wrote.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been pushing for the production and consumption of millet as it can be grown on arid lands with minimal inputs and are resilient to changes in climate. It is on his initiative, the United Nations has declared 2023 the International Year of Millets.
Kamath said as the world discovers the health and ecological benefits of millets, India can become the global millet hub and also create green jobs locally. "Millets like ragi, jowar, and bajra are rich in micronutrients, fiber, protein & complex carbs, and antioxidants, and are gluten-free," Kamath said, adding that he knew the health benefits, but Zerodha-backed Rainmatter Foundation recently shared the ecological benefits.
The chief executive of the online trading firm said that an added benefit of millets is that since they are produced locally, "we can avoid carbon emissions linked to food transportation". "If millets are distributed through government programs and mid-day meal initiatives, Indians would get more nutrition & would also have less diabetes risk," he added.
Prime Minister Modi reacted to Kamath's post on millet and said: "Good to read this! Let us all make Shree Ann a part of our lives."
Kamath's post comes just a day after he met with Prime Minister Modi, who along with other leaders attended lunch in Parliament where millet dishes were served. After meeting PM Modi who was in Bengaluru for the Aero India show, Kamath said his new health and fitness goal was "to be able to operate at his intensity when I am 72". "He (PM Modi) spent almost 30 mins late in the night interacting with @nikhilkamathcio & me, despite all his meetings and travels through the day," Kamath added.
In November last year, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said the International Year of Millets 2023 will provide an opportunity to increase global production, efficient processing, better use of crop rotation, and promote millets as a major component of the food basket. Through this, he said the country's aim was to increase the domestic and global consumption of millet.
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