Breaking stigma: Unique campaign launched to increase awareness about mental health

By A Representative

In a powerful and heartfelt initiative to confront India's growing mental health crisis, a unique awareness campaign titled Breaking Stigma One Mile at a Time was flagged off from New Delhi on April 20. The campaign is aimed at increasing awareness about mental health, encouraging young people to seek professional support, and building a more compassionate environment for those struggling with mental illness. The journey was flagged off by psychiatrists Dr Amit Sen and Dr Rajiv Mehta, along with therapist Khilly Marwaha. Professors Mridula Mukherjee, Aditya Mukherjee, and Apoorvanand also joined the send-off, along with over a hundred friends, family members, and well-wishers.

India is facing a serious mental health crisis. Mental disorders are now the second most common cause of years lived with disability, while suicide is the third leading cause of death in many states. According to national data, 15 percent of Indian adults need mental health support, yet between 70 and 92 percent do not receive any treatment. More than 110 million people continue to struggle, and over one lakh lives are lost to suicide each year. These numbers highlight the urgent need for widespread awareness, access to treatment, and the dismantling of stigma.

The campaign is the brainchild of Seher Hashmi, a motivational speaker and fashion stylist. Her own journey with mental illness began in her teens when she was diagnosed with clinical depression and borderline personality disorder. Seher’s struggles began with childhood trauma after being relinquished to an orphanage at just nine months of age. With over a decade of therapy, support from mental health professionals, and encouragement from family and friends, Seher slowly reclaimed her life. But she soon realised that her access to care made her one of the fortunate few. Millions in India continue to suffer in silence, unable to access professional help due to the shame and misinformation surrounding mental health.

Determined to rewrite this narrative, Seher began sharing her story through videos and interactive workshops. Her efforts have reached students, rural communities, and NGOs across the country. This new journey marks a powerful continuation of that work.

Riding alongside Seher on Royal Enfield motorbikes is Dev Desai, a well-known social activist with over 15 years of grassroots experience. Dev became particularly engaged with mental health advocacy during the COVID-19 pandemic, when he helped coordinate a volunteer-led initiative called Talk It Out, which provided free online counselling services for youth. The initiative mobilised 140 volunteers, 100 of whom were trained psychologists, and reached over 300 people, including callers from outside India.

Also part of the team is filmmaker Samanyu Shukla, who has been capturing human stories for over a decade through documentaries and photography. He is documenting the entire campaign, with plans to produce a film that captures the personal and collective impact of the journey. Nazneen Shaikh, a self-taught singer and organiser, will be performing at events along the way and speaking about the healing power of music in dealing with trauma and emotional distress. Driving the team’s support vehicle is Mehraj U Din, a science graduate who runs a bakery in Kupwara and has volunteered to support the campaign from Delhi to Kupwara and back.

The team will travel through 21 cities and villages, including Delhi, Chandigarh, Jammu, Srinagar, Kupwara, Baramulla, Anantnag, Rohtak, Ludhiana, and others. They will be conducting 30 interactive sessions in schools, colleges, community spaces, and mental health facilities. These sessions will involve open conversations with young people, community members, and mental health professionals to foster understanding and encourage those in need to seek help.

Seher continues to motivate people through her lived experience, while Dev is focused on building networks with local professionals and mental health groups. Nazneen’s voice will offer both inspiration and emotional comfort at each stop. Samanyu’s visual storytelling will ensure the stories of the people they meet are preserved and amplified. The team will also be distributing folders containing accessible mental health information, coping strategies, and helpline numbers.

Breaking Stigma One Mile at a Time is not just a campaign—it is a journey of courage, connection, and collective healing. It invites every citizen to be part of a movement that recognises mental health as a priority and reminds us that no one should have to suffer alone.

Comments

Modi’s Israel visit strengthened Pakistan’s hand in US–Iran truce: Ex-Indian diplomat

By Jag Jivan M. K. Bhadrakumar , a career diplomat with three decades of service in postings across the former Soviet Union, Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Germany, and Turkey, has warned that the current truce in the US–Iran war is “fragile and ridden with contradictions.” Writing in his blog India Punchline , Bhadrakumar argues that while Pakistan has emerged as a surprising broker of dialogue, the durability of the ceasefire remains uncertain.

Manufacturing, services: India's low-skill, middle-skill labour remains underemployed

By Francis Kuriakose* The Indian economy was in a state of deceleration well before Covid-19 made its impact in early 2020. This can be inferred from the declining trends of four important macroeconomic variables that indicate the health of the economy in the last quarter of 2019.

Incarceration of Prof Saibaba 'revives' the question: What is crime, who is criminal?

By Kunal Pant* In 2016, a Supreme Court Judge asked the state of Maharashtra, “Do you want to extract a pound of flesh?” The statement was directed against the state for contesting the bail plea of Delhi University Professor GN Saibaba. Saibaba was arrested in 2014, a justification for which was to prevent him from committing what the police called “anti-national activities.”

Why Indo-Pak relations have been on 'knife’s edge' , hostilities may remain for long

By Utkarsh Bajpai* The past few decades have seen strides being made in all aspects of life – from sticks and stones to weaponry. The extreme case of this phenomenon has been nuclear weapons. The menace caused by nuclear weapons in the past is unforgettable. Images of Hiroshima and Nagasaki from 1945 come to mind, after the United States dropped two atomic bombs on the cities.

Food security? Gujarat govt puts more than 5 lakh ration cards in the 'silent' category

By Pankti Jog* A new statistical report uploaded by the Gujarat government on the national food security portal shows that ensuring food security for the marginalized community is still not a priority of the state. The statistical report, uploaded on December 24, highlights many weaknesses in implementing the National Food Security Act (NFSA) in state.

The soundtrack of resistance: How 'Sada Sada Ya Nabi' is fueling the Iran war

By Syed Ali Mujtaba* The Persian track “ Sada Sada Ya Nabi ye ” by Hossein Sotoodeh has taken the world by storm. This viral media has cut across linguistic barriers to achieve cult status, reaching over 10 million views. The electrifying music and passionate rendition by the Iranian singer have resonated across the globe, particularly as the high-intensity military conflict involving Iran entered its second month in March 2026.

Lata Mangeshkar, a Dalit from Devdasi family, 'refused to sing a song' about Ambedkar

By Pramod Ranjan* An artist is known and respected for her art. But she is equally, or even more so known and respected for her social concerns. An artist's social concerns or in other words, her worldview, give a direction and purpose to her art. History remembers only such artists whose social concerns are deep, reasoned and of durable importance. Lata Mangeshkar (28 September 1929 – 6 February 2022) was a celebrated playback singer of the Hindi film industry. She was the uncrowned queen of Indian music for over seven decades. Her popularity was unmatched. Her songs were heard and admired not only in India but also in Pakistan, Bangladesh and many other South Asian countries. In this article, we will focus on her social concerns. Lata lived for 92 long years. Music ran in her blood. Her father also belonged to the world of music. Her two sisters, Asha Bhonsle and Usha Mangeshkar, are well-known singers. Lata might have been born in Indore but the blood of a famous Devdasi family...

'Batteries now cheap enough for solar to meet India's 90% demand': Expert quotes Ember study

By A Representative Shankar Sharma, Power & Climate Policy Analyst, has urged India’s top policymakers to reconsider the financial and ecological implications of the country’s energy transition strategy in light of recent global developments. In a letter dated April 10, 2026, addressed to the Union Ministers of Finance, Power, New & Renewable Energy, Environment, Forest & Climate Change, and the Vice Chair of NITI Aayog, with a copy to the Prime Minister, Sharma highlighted concerns over India’s ambitious plans for coal gasification and the Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR).

Labour unrest in Manesar trigger tensions: Recently enacted labour codes blamed

By A Representative A civil rights coalition has expressed concern over recent developments in the industrial hub of Manesar in Haryana, where a series of labour actions and police responses have drawn attention. A statement, released by the Campaign Against State Repression (CASR), said it stood in solidarity with workers in IMT Manesar and other parts of the country, while also alleging instances of police excess during ongoing unrest.

Search This Blog