Actor-philanthropist Vivek Anand Oberoi also serves as the anti-tobacco spokesperson for World Health Organization and who is also associated with Cancer Patients Aid Association (CPAA) for more than a decade addressed a huge crowd at the conference on World No Tobacco Day.

The large-hearted actor who has been associated with several noble causes including girl child education among others addressed an audience on the consequences of tobacco consumption, urging them to go tobacco free not just at their work stations but as an overall lifestyle alteration.

The large-hearted actor recently conducted tobacco awareness workshops with 3000 police personnel, 1000 BEST employees and 450 junior artistes working across film industries. He is now focusing on the transgender community in Maharashtra.

Vivek Oberoi, who felicitated five transgenders - Vikram R Shinde, Madhuri Sarode Sharma, Priya Patil, Mahi Gupta and Mona Kamble for embracing this lifestyle change, said, "We had screened 500 transgenders as a part of our precancer detection camp, out of which 75 per cent consume tobacco in various forms.

"Do you know that India tops the list of drinkers and smokers that increases the risk of heart attacks, cancer and other deadly diseases? I wish more people would come forward to address this issue and help create awareness," he added.