CINI celebrates 25 years of adolescent empowerment and advocacy
Times of India | 26 November 2025
KOLKATA: At the joint celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Adolescent Resource Centre (ARC) and the 50th anniversary of the Child in Need Institute (CINI), Indrani Bhattacharyya, Chief Executive Officer of CINI, emphasised the urgent need for parents to devote time to their children. She underlined that in a world dominated by television and mobile phones, adolescents require proper guidance, direction and counselling from their families to navigate critical developmental stages.
West Bengal Commission for Protection of Child Rights (WBCPCR) chairperson Tulika Das, WBCPCR advisor Ananya Chakraborti Chatterjee; Health Services director Swapan Soren; Adolescent Health ADHS Kunal Kanti De and UNICEF West Bengal chief of field office Monzur Hossein attended the programme held on Tuesday.
Speaking at the event, Bhattacharyya said “I would like to say that parents must give time to the next generation. Everyone is busy with their own lives, busy with television and mobile phones but it is important to spend as much time as possible with children. They need proper guidance, direction and counselling. During adolescence we must listen to them, stand beside them and support them.”
“During adolescence, we must listen to them, stand beside them, and support them,” she stated, emphasising the need for active parental engagement in their children’s lives.
Since its launch in 2000, ARC has emerged as a cornerstone of CINI’s mission, advancing adolescent health, rights and empowerment through comprehensive interventions in SRHR, NCDs, mental health, education, nutrition, prevention of gender based violence, leadership development and community engagement. It has extended its reach to youth and young adults, collaborated with govt departments, donors, NGOs and CBOs, and contributed to national programmes such as RKSK (Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram) and the School Health and Wellness Programme. ARC has also developed impactful IEC and training materials and nurtured adolescent-led advocacy platforms to strengthen youth participation and leadership.
Thirteen adolescents were felicitated for their remarkable achievements, symbolising the powerful outcomes of sustained engagement and leadership.
Looking ahead, ARC aims to transform into a Centre of Excellence in knowledge and innovation, deepen its role as a technical partner to the govt, influence national and international policies, strengthen research-driven programming, address emerging issues such as climate change and digital literacy, and enhance programme design, monitoring and scale-up for sustainable evidence-based impact benefiting adolescents and youth across India.