Inspired by Juan Mann, the founder of the ‘free hugs’ campaign from Australia, Vinit, the country’s first free hugs campaigner, has been trotting Mumbai streets.
Armed with a simple ‘free hugs’ placard and a smile that epitomises hope, 19-year-old Vinit Mehta is on a mission. Inspired by Juan Mann, the founder of the ‘free hugs’ campaign from Australia, Vinit, the country’s first free hugs campaigner, has been trotting Mumbai streets with this campaign since last May. This year will see the campaign spreading to four other Indian cities — Pune, Chennai, Bangalore and Delhi.
And Vinit is obviously excited. “It’s all about spreading love, bringing a smile to someone’s face,” he says. Overwhelmed by the fact that his campaign is finally being noticed by youngsters from other cities, he remembers his first few days as a campaigner on Colaba Causeway. “It was slightly embarrassing in the beginning, given the fact that as Indians, we are not very open to physical contact with strangers,” he says. People looked at him with cynical glares, laughed at this teen’s attempt at a free hug. But a friendly embrace by a foreign couple finally set the campaign pacing. Locals followed, and thus began the journey. From senior citizens to cops and animals like horses, dogs and cats, Vinit’s message is clear. Even the terror attack didn’t deter his spirit; as he conducted the campaign again at Gateway, just a month after the attacks and was more than accepted. “It just shows that at the end of the day, a hug can change everything.” And having hugged more than 7,000 people till date, Vinit is a happy man.
As he doesn’t talk to anyone he hugs during the campaign, his scrapbook on a social networking site is teeming with ‘thank you’ messages from random Mumbaikars who embraced him and felt a sense of attachment. And those ‘I had never felt better after my break-up, till I hugged you’ kind of messages reassure you that a hug can, in fact, heal.
However, Vinit had to walk his way through a lot of controversy, when he first began. There were many who taunted him with offensive remarks like “Ladki ko haat lagana chahata hai”. Last year too, a man in the suburbs proclaimed to be a propagator of the campaign and was arrested for taking undue advantage of girls while hugging. But Vinit braved it all.
However, he is a little worried about how he would have to be extra careful while choosing volunteers from other cities who have registered to take part in the campaign.
“It’s going to be a little difficult in the beginning, as I don’t know how spirited everyone is going to be with the real motive.” But, he still prefers to look at it optimistically and grins, “Though I know it’s going to be a slow paced endeavour, as people from other cities would take time to open up, I hope that someday this campaign spreads all across our country, even in villages.” He is even ready to tour NGO’s and jails to bring a smile on someone’s face. “Everyone deserves a hug. And the joy I get after seeing someone happy is irreplaceable,” he says.
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