New Delhi, Feb 28 (IANS): Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates will attend a Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD) event emphasising 'good nutrition' here on Thursday.

Gates, Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), who is on a India tour, will attend the Poshan Utsav, along with Union Minister for Women and Child Development Smriti Zubin Irani.

Poshan Utsav aims to serve as a platform to disseminate important messages on the value of good nutrition.

During the event, the 'Poshan Utsav Book' would be released and a Cartoon Coalition would announce its support for the cause of Poshan through collaboration with the ministry.

The programme promises to be a milestone event in the efforts to combat malnutrition and foster healthier lifestyles among children. It aims to leverage popular cartoon characters to advocate holistic nutrition among children through collaboration between the the ministry and Amar Chitra Katha.

It is also expected to revolutionise nutrition awareness by engaging children through captivating storytelling through their favourite cartoon characters and drive positive behaviour change in communities across the nation for desired nutritional outcomes.

The Poshan Utsav Book, curated by the Deendayal Research Institute (DRI) and supported by BMGF, is designed to serve as an atlas on food, offering insights from cultural, social, economic and scientific perspectives.

It seeks to revive ancient nutrition traditions, facilitating knowledge exchange and intergenerational learning. The book will also serve as a comprehensive repository for appreciation of the rich culinary heritage and nutritional diversity of the country.

Earlier this week, Gates announced his plans to visit India in a LinkedIn post, saying: "I can’t wait to learn about how India is finding innovative new ways to advance health, digital public infrastructure, and climate to improve the lives of billions."