For many years in India, people were scared to talk about mental health. Psychiatrists were branded as doctors for "mad people." Because of this fear, most people kept their pain to themselves.

However, this is slowly changing. This year, Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone has been made India's first mental health ambassador by the Health Ministry. The announcement was made on World Mental Health Day, October 10, 2025. Deepika said she feels honoured and wants to work with the government to make people understand mental health better. The government's message was clear that it wants wants mental health to be taken seriously, not hidden in shame.

What Mental health really means

Mental health means how we feel, think, and act every day. It affects our relationships, our work, and even our decisions. When our mind is healthy, we can handle stress and live peacefully. But when it is not, life feels heavy.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) India has about 18% of the world's population, and yet mental illness is often ignored. WHO reports show that the economic loss due to mental health conditions between 2012-2030 is estimated at USD 1.03 trillion. People cannot work properly when their mentally not healthy.

According to a national survey, around one in ten adults in India suffers from some mental disorder. Sadly, most of them never get help. The reason is that we have very few psychiatrists and counsellors, and also because many people are still scared to go to them.

In villages, things are even tougher. A report in The Lancet (2024) told a sad story from a village in Maharashtra. Many people there believed that mental illness was a result of "black magic" or "God's curse." Some patients were tied up at a shrine and kept there for years, thinking that holy water would make them fine. The report said that there was no regular psychiatrist in the area - only a small camp where people could talk to a doctor through a mobile video call twice a week.

These examples show that lack of knowledge and blind beliefs make the problem worse.

However, the good thing is that the government has started taking many steps. There is now a 24-hour free helpline called Tele MANAS where people can talk to trained counsellors in 20 Indian languages. Since its start in 2022, it has already helped over 18 lakh people, says a government report.

Mental health services are also being added to Ayushman Arogya Mandirs - local health centres where people can get basic counselling and medicines. Even general doctors are being trained to handle mild mental health issues.

In 2022, the government also launched a National Suicide Prevention Plan. It aims to bring down suicide deaths by 10% by 2030. This plan focuses on students, farmers, and young people who often face stress and pressure. Schools are being told to have regular mental health check-ups and counselling sessions.

The Economic Survey 2024-25 also said that a healthy mind is as important as a healthy body. It asked schools to teach students how to deal with stress, and offices to make policies that reduce work pressure.

In small towns and cities, people are slowly beginning to talk. More college students are seeking counselling, homemakers are attending workshops, and even farmers are calling helplines. Social media has helped a lot in spreading this awareness -- short videos and stories are teaching people that mental illness is not madness, it is just another kind of health problem.

When someone like Deepika Padukone - a film star everyone knows - talks openly about her own depression, it gives courage to others. Her new role as a mental health ambassador will help bring this message to smaller cities and villages.

[Arvinder Kaur is a seasoned journalist and editor, focused on India and South Asia. She has also handled media projects for international organisations.]
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