Since 1985, the world has turned pink every October. From campaigns by global fashion brands to heritage monuments illuminated in pink hues, Breast Cancer Awareness Month has become an act of support and solidarity. In India, corporates and public institutions also join this movement. For instance, this year, on September 30, Hyderabad’s historic monuments were lit in pink to mark the occasion.

Yet behind this sea of pink lies an unsettling truth—breast cancer awareness in India has become more of a spectacle than substance. Although awareness has destigmatised the disease, it has also been taken over by commercial interests that downplay its urgency.

The Pink Ribbon paradox

Once a symbol of solidarity, the pink ribbon has now become a marketing logo. In his research titled “An Analysis

See Full Page