When his mother was diagnosed with diabetes in 2017, Arka Pudota did what every 15-year-old would do: scour the internet for healthier recipes.
Barring a few conventional millet-based dishes, there was not much of anything. Not the one to give up, Pudota experimented with conventional recipes and came up with much tastier dishes, which he began sharing on his YouTube channel ‘Millet Mantra’. Now he is a rising star among the city YouTubers.
Be it Jowar Methi balls, Foxtail millet coconut rice, Ragi/Finger Millet Vermicelli Upma or Ragi Paneer Paniyaram, Pudota blends the mouthwatering effect of the dishes with the nutritious value to educate his 2,000 YouTube subscribers and 7,000 Facebook followers.
The channel is also turning out to be one of the best sources on millet varieties and their health benefits. “I’ve got feedback on how my channel helped people. Some shared their most interesting recipes, while a few reached out to learn more about millets,” the teenager said.
His brother Arya’s channel on organic farming was an additional impetus to choose YouTube. “His videos sensitised me to problems of the farmers who see no demand for millets. I encourage people to make millet a part of their diet and create a demand,” Pudota said.
“Smaller portions of millet dishes make you full. That’s why they’re great substitutes for rice, which we need to eat more to feel satiated. Millets are also more nutritious,” said the teen. Millets also benefit farmers as they are not water-intensive and are best suited for arid regions.