Neerja Birla Calls For Better Access And Lower Stigma In India's Mental Health Care

Mental health advocate Neerja Birla says India's conversation around emotional well-being has grown, but significant gaps remain between public awareness and actual care. Speaking on the country's evolving mental health landscape, the Aditya Birla Education Trust founder noted that while people talk more openly about emotional health today, deep-seated social stigma still stops many from seeking help.

Youth Concerns

Young adults face intense pressures from academics, career uncertainty, and constant social comparison. A 2026 survey by Mpower revealed that 67.3 percent of young respondents aged 18 to 25 experienced feelings of hopelessness, with exams and academic pressure serving as the leading triggers. The same survey showed that 49.5 percent of young adults hide difficult emotions to cope alone, while only 9.2 percent actively seek professional help.

Expanding Support

Public and private helplines are scaling up to meet this heavy demand across the country. The national Tele-MANAS initiative has handled roughly 34.34 lakh calls through 53 operational cells spread across 36 states and union territories, with calls surpassing two million by April 2025. Meanwhile, Mpower's own helpline recorded 43,315 calls from 17,827 unique callers over the 2025-26 period.

Context

Experts emphasize that expanding helpline capacity must go hand in hand with lowering financial and geographic barriers to care. Building an equitable mental health system requires integrating professional support directly into primary healthcare networks and local communities.