Nick Jonas, who was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when he was 13 years old in 2002, co-founded the diabetes non-profit Beyond Type 1 10 years ago. Nick and board member Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Beyond Type 1 today launch TheBeyondType in India.
TheBeyondType is their first campaign in India. The campaign lifts real-life experiences to challenge stigma and show that diabetes does not define those living with type 1 diabetes. It aims to raise awareness, reduce stigma and support grassroots organisations doing critical work on the ground.
India has more young people living with type 1 diabetes (T1D) than anywhere in the world, and the second-highest number of people living with diabetes overall. Yet awareness remains low, and stigma persists.
The Beyond Type highlights incredible everyday people who are thriving with type 1 diabetes and following their dreams. They are the unstoppable type, the determined type, the relentless type, the inspiring type - they show that type 1 diabetes does not define you.
“India has extraordinary people living with Type 1 diabetes, yet their stories are rarely heard,” shared Priyanka Chopra Jonas.
“I came to understand this community more deeply through my husband Nick, and I’ve witnessed firsthand the strength and determination that so many people living with T1D carry every single day. The Beyond Type brings a few of these stories forward, and shows that with proper care and access, diabetes does not define them or limit what they can achieve.”
“I know for myself how diabetes doesn’t have to limit you, but only when you have access to the right care, tools, and support,” says Nick Jonas. “That’s why we’re here in India, where awareness is low, and stigma remains high, to help make that possible for everyone. Through my own family, I’ve come to love India deeply, and I’m proud of the progress already underway”.
#TheBeyondType launched on Instagram in a joint post from Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Nick Jonas and Beyond Type 1, who collectively have a combined reach of 135 million. The campaign captures individuals whose stories show that diabetes does not stop them from doing what they want to do: a triathlete, Lt Col Kumar Gaurav; 13-year-old karate champion Mehrin Rana; pastry chef Nishant Amin; toy designer and entrepreneur Shreya Jain; dancer and actor Indu Thampy; and vegetable vendor and marathon runner Harichandran Ponnusamy. As Mehrin shares, “Diabetes is just a part of my life, not a limit. A person with type 1 can do everything in their life without any limits.”
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition, not something caused by lifestyle or age. Yet stigma keeps many families from recognising the early signs — excessive thirst, frequent urination, unusual fatigue and unexpected weight loss. When these signals are missed, diagnosis is delayed. By sharing real-life inspiring stories through #TheBeyondType, the campaign begins to break stigma and open the door to earlier awareness and understanding.
A recent study published in PLOS Global Public Health, Invisible Inequities in Type 1 Diabetes Care in India, reinforces the urgency of this work. Conducted in Karnataka with a small group, it found that many young people with T1D hide their diagnosis, some avoid or delay insulin injections in public to escape judgment, and families, especially girls, are pressured to stay silent due to marriage concerns. Healthcare providers reported that young people with T1D are frequently viewed as weak or treated differently in school and at work, showing how stigma shapes daily life and access to care.
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