'Carry onion in pocket': Scindia's remedy to beat summer heat
27 Apr 2026

Union Minister of Communications Jyotiraditya Scindia has sparked a debate with his unconventional advice to beat the summer heat.

During a public event in Shivpuri's Pichhore, Madhya Pradesh on Sunday, he suggested people carry an onion in their pockets as a protective measure against rising temperatures.

"I may look young, but my soul is old; carry an onion in your pocket, and nothing will happen to you," he said while displaying an onion from his vehicle.

Scindia's lifestyle choices
Lifestyle choices

Scindia also spoke about his own lifestyle choices, saying he avoids air conditioning even in peak summer.

"I don't use air conditioning in my car, nor do I sit in an air-conditioned environment," he said.

"And when people ask me, even in the 51-degree heat...I say, 'This is Chambal skin.' And let me tell you something else: I look a little young, but my soul is very old. Keep an onion in your pocket...Nothing will happen to you," he said.

Intense heatwave in North India
Heatwave impact

Scindia's onion remedy comes at a time when North India is reeling under an intense heatwave.

Temperatures are soaring between 42 and 45 degrees Celsius, with some areas nearing even higher levels.

Uttar Pradesh and western Rajasthan are among the worst-hit regions, with Prayagraj and Barmer recording temperatures close to 48 degrees Celsius.

Onions believed to have 'cooling' properties
Ayurvedic perspective

However, relief from the ongoing heatwave may be on the way with an approaching western disturbance expected to bring dust storms and light rainfall.

On April 27, sporadic dust storms and thunderstorms are expected in parts of Rajasthan, Haryana, and Delhi-NCR, covering around 30-50% of the region.

The activity is expected to increase between April 28-30, when regions including Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Telangana, and Kerala could see storm activity with 50-75% coverage.