Raksha Bandhan celebrated at Punjab de-addiction centres, bringing families and recovering patients together
Babushahi Bureau
Chandigarh, August 29, 2026: Raksha Bandhan was celebrated at government de-addiction and rehabilitation centres across Punjab, with families, NGOs and peer ambassadors known as ‘Soormas’ joining patients undergoing treatment for substance abuse.
The celebrations, held as part of the Bhagwant Mann government’s ‘Yudh Nashean Virudh’ campaign, sought to reinforce the importance of family support in recovery and encourage patients to remain committed to their treatment and return to fulfilling lives with their loved ones.
At the District De-Addiction and Rehabilitation Centre in Gurdaspur, Soorma Pankaj Mahajan, who has himself overcome drug addiction, interacted with patients and their families and shared his recovery journey.
“I have been sober for 10 years now and want you to follow the same path,” Mahajan told the patients, encouraging them to seek support and remain committed to recovery.
Letter-writing and expressive-art activities were also organised at several centres, allowing patients to express their emotions and reconnect with their families.
At the Kapurthala De-Addiction and Rehabilitation Centre, a patient, identified as Rajwinder Singh, whose name was changed, wrote a letter thanking his sister and family for standing by him during his struggle with addiction.
Another recovering patient wrote an emotional letter to his sister, apologising for his past actions and seeking her forgiveness. “I have realised my mistakes. I love you all and miss you and will never ever tread on this path to hell,” he wrote.
Similar celebrations were held at de-addiction and rehabilitation centres across the state. In Kapurthala and SAS Nagar, the celebrations were organised in collaboration with the Brahma Kumaris, while in Patiala, Sarv Prem Foundation and Soormas joined patients in marking the festival.
Young girls from the community also sent handmade rakhis and messages of encouragement to patients at the Patiala centre through the Sarv Prem Foundation.
Government de-addiction and rehabilitation centres in Bathinda, Pathankot, Nawanshahr, Mansa, Fatehgarh Sahib, Faridkot, Amritsar and other districts also organised Raksha Bandhan programmes, with families participating in the celebrations.
Counsellors at government facilities have been encouraging families to play an active role in the rehabilitation process. Family counselling sessions and mandatory psychoeducation sessions are being conducted at various centres to prepare families to support patients after they return home under the Community Bridge Model (CBM) currently being piloted by the state.
Punjab Health Minister Dr Balbir Singh said family participation was an important part of the state’s efforts against substance abuse.
“Festivals such as Raksha Bandhan remind us that recovery is not an individual journey. The love, encouragement and faith of families can give a person the strength to overcome one of the most difficult phases of life,” he said.
Dr Balbir Singh added that de-addiction centres should remain places of “hope, dignity and rehabilitation”, where patients receive not only medical support but also emotional and social support.
The celebrations sought to use the spirit of Raksha Bandhan to highlight the importance of family support, restoration of relationships and continued recovery while reinforcing the message of a drug-free Punjab.