Maternal and infant wellbeing is shaped not only by healthcare and nutrition, but also by the spaces in which mothers live and move every day. Yet, across India’s public infrastructure, breastfeeding mothers often lack safe, private, and hygienic spaces, turning a basic and essential act into a daily challenge. Recognising this critical gap, Himalaya BabyCare has extended its commitment to care beyond products and into public spaces through a focused and impactful CSR intervention.
Under its Himalaya Happy Feeding Rooms initiative, the brand has established over 700 breastfeeding rooms across airports, railway stations, hospitals, and other high footfall locations, supporting more than 7 million mothers annually. These spaces provide dignity, comfort, and reassurance, enabling mothers to breastfeed confidently while travelling or navigating public environments. Importantly, the initiative also contributes to normalising breastfeeding in public and reinforces it as a shared social responsibility rather than a private concern.
In this interview with TheCSRUniverse, N. V. Chakravarthi, Director, BabyCare, Himalaya Wellness Company, discusses the thinking behind this initiative, its nationwide impact, and the operational challenges of implementing and maintaining such spaces at scale. He also reflects on the role of partnerships, advocacy, and purpose driven storytelling in advancing maternal and infant wellness, and shares how Himalaya BabyCare is embedding empathy, access, and inclusion into its long term CSR vision.
Scroll down for more insights.
Q&A
Q. Himalaya BabyCare has supported millions of mothers over the years. What, in your view, defines the brand’s broader responsibility toward maternal and infant wellness beyond products?
A. At Himalaya BabyCare, we believe our responsibility goes far beyond creating safe and gentle products. Our mission is to empower parents with confidence and convenience at every stage of their journey. We recognize that maternal and infant wellness is shaped not only by quality care but also by supportive environments. That’s why we actively champion breastfeeding and have installed over 700 Himalaya Happy Feeding Rooms across airports, hospitals, railway stations, and public spaces. These secure, hygienic facilities ensure that every baby can be fed with dignity and comfort, reflecting our broader commitment to nurturing healthy beginnings beyond products.
Q. What first prompted Himalaya BabyCare to take up the idea of breastfeeding rooms, and how did you identify this as a critical gap in public infrastructure for mothers?
A. The idea emerged from a simple but powerful observation: many mothers felt uncomfortable feeding their babies outside their homes due to lack of privacy and safe spaces. Conversations with mothers revealed that women experience stress or anxiety while breastfeeding in public, often compromising on their baby's feeding routine. This gap in public infrastructure, especially in high-footfall places like airports, railway stations, and hospitals, highlighted a need that was universal, urgent, and largely unaddressed. The Happy Feeding Rooms initiative was born from this insight, to give every mother a comfy space where she can feed her baby in privacy and peace.
Q. With over 700+ breastfeeding rooms now operational across India, what, according to you, has been the most meaningful nationwide impact of this initiative?
A. The most meaningful impact has been the sense of comfort, freedom, and reassurance it offers to mothers across the country. With more than 7 million mothers using these rooms each year, the initiative has made breastfeeding easier and more accessible in public spaces.
On a national scale, it has helped normalize breastfeeding, encouraged healthier infant nutrition practices, and sparked conversations around maternal needs in public planning. It has shifted the narrative from breastfeeding being a private challenge to a shared societal responsibility; this, for us, is the true measure of success.
Q. What kind of feedback or outcomes have you observed from mothers using these spaces? Any insights or metrics that clearly demonstrate the initiative’s value?
A. The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. Mothers frequently express relief at finding clean, private, and hygienic spaces where they can feed their babies without worry. Many say these rooms allow them to travel more confidently with their infants, making daily life easier. Today, our Happy Feeding Rooms are a source of support, with 700+ feeding rooms across the country, reaching and empowering over 7 million women each year.
Q. Setting up breastfeeding rooms across airports, railway stations, and other public spaces can be challenging. What were the key hurdles you faced, and how did you ensure uniform quality, safety, and dignity across locations?
A. Our journey with the Himalaya BabyCare Happy Feeding Rooms initiative has been a multi-layered process requiring meticulous planning, time, and constant coordination. One of the biggest hurdles was the time and effort needed to set up each room, as every location operates under different guidelines, safety norms, and operational constraints. Maintaining daily cleanliness and hygiene across all rooms has been another significant challenge, as these spaces must consistently meet high standards.
Ensuring uniform comfort, privacy, and dignity for mothers is a non-negotiable priority. Despite these challenges, the impact—mothers feeling safe and supported in busy public environments—continues to inspire our purpose-driven commitment and guide every milestone of this initiative.
Q. Could you share one or two real on-ground stories that highlight how these rooms have improved a mother’s experience or influenced public attitudes toward breastfeeding?
A. One story that stayed with us came from a mother who often travelled by air with her newborn. She said the presence of a Himalaya Happy Feeding Room turned an overwhelming journey into a comfortable one. The privacy and calm environment allowed her baby to feed comfortably before the flight, something she had been anxious about. Stories like these remind us that the initiative is not just about infrastructure, it is about providing comfort and safety.
Q. Beyond infrastructure, how is Himalaya BabyCare driving advocacy and awareness around breastfeeding and maternal wellbeing? Are there campaigns, collaborations, or educational efforts that reinforce this cause?
A. Advocacy is an integral part of our work. Our World Breastfeeding Week campaign, #HarKadamHarMaakeSath, used storytelling to highlight the emotional and physical challenges mothers face while feeding in public. The campaign reached millions, sparking empathy and public dialogue. Through on-ground engagements including Healthy Baby Contests, we focus on promoting early nutrition in babies.
Q. Community and institutional partnerships often shape the success of such initiatives. How are you collaborating with public bodies, healthcare ecosystems, or local communities to expand and sustain this program?
A. This initiative would not be possible without strong partnerships. We work closely with airport authorities, railway officials, hospital administrations, and city infrastructure bodies to identify locations, secure approvals, and ensure day-to-day maintenance. These collaborations allow the initiative to remain relevant, scalable, and sustainable, ensuring that mothers continue to benefit from it for years to come.
Q. Looking ahead, how do you plan to expand or deepen this initiative? Are there adjacent areas in maternal or community wellbeing that Himalaya BabyCare is exploring as part of its long-term CSR vision?
A. Our goal is to take the Happy Feeding Rooms initiative to even more public spaces across India, including airports, metro stations, hospitals, and high-footfall community areas. The long-term vision is to build a compassionate ecosystem that makes motherhood easier, and more supported in every environment. For us, this journey has just begun. We remain committed to strengthening the bond between mothers and babies by creating spaces, conversations, and interventions that truly make a difference.
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