Mumbai, Oct 9, 2024: Businessperson and artist Ananya Birla has collaborated with IHBAS to advance mental health and career support for students in Delhi. The program brings together a dedicated team of psychologists and trains them on various therapeutic techniques. A key approach is art based therapy, which allows children to express themselves more easily through creative outlets. The focus is also on circle time and narrative-based therapy, which encourages children to share their life stories and concerns, if any. The facilitator plays a crucial role in guiding discussions, helping children gain a clearer understanding of their feelings and thoughts.
While the global recognition of mental health's importance has grown, India still faces urgent challenges. Of an average 250 million school-going students in India, 80% experience various stressors, including academic pressures, peer dynamics, familial expectations, and the constant influence of social media. The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) indicates that student suicide rates have doubled in the last ten years, highlighting bullying and self-harm as significant issues. A UNICEF study highlights that many children hesitate to seek mental health support due to societal fears and stigma, emphasising the urgent need for intervention.
Ananya Birla, Founder of the Ananya Birla Foundation, stated, “As we strive to create a healthier and more supportive environment for our youth, it is imperative that we prioritise mental health awareness in schools across the nation. Since July 2024, we have partnered with the Government of Delhi and IHBAS, targeting a total of 30000+ students over nine months, until March 2025. The Ananya Birla Foundation and IHBAS pledge our committed resources towards preventive care and awareness initiatives, in the working hope that the agreeable absolute solution would be to see mental health education as part of our curriculum, throughout the country.”
Mental health issues often begin in childhood, making schools a critical backdrop for intervention and support. As awareness grows and resources are allocated to address these challenges early on, there is hope for meaningful change.
Prof (Dr) Rajinder K Dhamija, Director at IHBAS, emphasised the importance of uniting like-minded institutions to catalyse greater action for youth mental health. He stated, “IHBAS is delighted to partner with Ananya Birla Foundation to promote mental and emotional wellness in our youth. This collaboration aims to enhance mental health literacy and de-stigmatize issues among school-going children and adolescents.”
IHBAS is a tertiary level medical institute that deals with patient care, teaching, training and research activities in the field of mental health, neuro and other allied sciences.
The Government of NCT of Delhi has been working with its schools on a holistic program called ‘School Mental Health Initiative’ which works on preventive, promotive and curative mental health for students ultimately promoting their well-being. This initiative follows a pilot phase in which educational and vocational guidance counsellors, along with school psychologists, provide counselling to school students. These sessions catered to students from Class VI to XII.
Each school features a clinic where students can share their thoughts with psychologists in private. For more intensive support, a van—Mobile Mental Health Services (MMHU) of IHBAS—equipped with experts visits the school, allowing kids to receive care while remaining in the familiar and safe environment of their school. This approach helps prevent the stigma that may arise from being taken directly to a hospital, which could discourage them from seeking help.
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