Women’s Mental Health Central to India’s Social and Economic Progress by 2047
BENGALURU, India, March 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The second edition of the Mpowering Minds Women’s Mental Health Summit 2026, convened by Neerja Birla, Founder and Chairperson Aditya Birla Education Trust and Mpower, brought together policymakers, clinicians, researchers, activists and industry leaders to examine the structural and social realities shaping women’s mental health in India. The summit was inaugurated by Mrs Neerja Birla, Founder and Chairperson, Aditya Birla Education Trust and Mpower; Chief Guest, Honourable Minister Smt. Lakshmi R. Hebbalkar, Minister of Women and Child Development, Empowerment of Differently Abled and Senior Citizens and Udupi District In-charge Minister, Government of Karnataka; alongside Dr Prathima Murthy, Director and Senior Professor at the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), underscoring the importance of institutional collaboration in addressing mental health at scale.
In her inaugural address, Honourable Minister Smt. Lakshmi R. Hebbalkar, Minister for Women and Child Development, Empowerment of Differently Abled and Senior Citizens and Udupi District In-charge Minister, stated, “Mental health is not a side issue; it is a life issue. Women shoulder emotional and caregiving responsibilities at every stage as daughters, mothers, professionals and caregivers, yet their own well-being is often the last priority. We must move beyond acknowledgement to coordinated action. Government, institutions and communities must work together to build systems where women feel safe, supported and valued, not only in moments of crisis but throughout their lives.”
Mrs Neerja Birla, Founder and Chairperson of Aditya Birla Education Trust and Mpower, highlighted, “Over the past decade, we have worked to bring mental health into the mainstream conversation. While awareness has grown, access remains uneven, and far too many women who need support still do not receive it. Whether it is adolescent girls navigating academic pressure, working women balancing multiple roles, mothers in the perinatal phase, or women in leadership carrying invisible strain, mental health must be embedded within the systems they engage with every day.”
She added, “As we mark ten years of Mpower’s journey built on acceptance, action and advocacy, the next phase must focus on integration. Strengthening women’s mental health will require deeper alignment between policy, public health infrastructure and community access. It must be connected to maternal care, schools, workplaces and broader public health frameworks.”
Dr Pratima Murthy, Director and Senior Professor, Department of Psychiatry, NIMHANS, emphasised the need to integrate mental health with physical health and foreground women’s empowerment across life stages. She further stated that the empowerment of women in society becomes very critical as they face challenges right from birth, growing up in the adolescent stage and later on during childbearing. “One of the most important things towards women’s empowerment is to actually cherish and acknowledge women’s role in society.”
The discussions throughout the day examined mental health across the life course. Psychiatrist Dr Shyam Bhat, Founder of The Nirvikalpa Foundation addressed the rise in self-harm and suicide among young Indian women, linking it to layered pressures including patriarchy, performance expectations and emotional isolation. He stressed the need for early conversations within families and educational institutions to reduce stigma and identify distress sooner. He was joined by Dr Zirak Marker, Chief Medical Advisor of Mpower and Senior Child, Adolescent & Family Psychiatrist, Jasmine Kalha, Co- Director and Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for Mental Health Law & Policy, ILS, Pune, Trained in Social Work and Sociology and Meenakshi Kirtane, Founder Director, Maanas-The Inside Story; Founding President, Indian Psychodrama Association who collectively underscored the urgency of stigma-free dialogue within families and schools, emphasising that early identification and emotional literacy are critical to prevention.
Neuroscientist Eamon McCrory, CEO of Anna Freud and Professor of Developmental Neuroscience and Psychopathology at UCL, noted that while trauma can pass across generations, timely intervention and stable caregiving relationships can interrupt those cycles and enable recovery. Clinical Psychologist Peter Fonagy, Professor of Contemporary Psychoanalysis and Developmental Science, Head of Division for Psychology and Language Sciences, UCL, reinforced the importance of early bonds, noting that the quality of a child’s earliest relationships shapes emotional regulation and resilience later in life.
A panel on the ‘fourth trimester’ examined postpartum mental health, challenging the deeply ingrained expectation that adjustment to motherhood is instinctive or effortless. Moderating the session, Seema Kumar, Founder Editor at 90CAPS and The Mind Diaries, offered a candid personal reflection, “When my daughter was born 35 years ago, I woke up from anaesthesia and wondered what I had got myself into. Motherhood did not just flow out of me naturally.” Her remarks set the tone for an honest and necessary dialogue on maternal mental health. Speakers emphasised the importance of routine screening, structured counselling, and community-based support to ensure mothers are not left to navigate emotional and psychological challenges in isolation. The session featured Dr Janhavi Nilekani, Founder and Chairperson, Aastrika Foundation & Aastrika Midwifery Centre; Dr Meghna Singhal, Founder & CEO, Raising Family Academy & Partners to Parents; Dr Padmaja Samant, Professor & Head, Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, KEM Hospital & Seth GS Medical College; and Dr Ruksheda Syeda, Psychiatrist and Psychotherapist, who collectively advocated for integrating maternal mental health screening into routine obstetric and primary care pathways. Extending the conversation to midlife, Dr Duru Shah, Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, addressed menopause as a significant life transition that demands awareness, informed care, and empathy rather than dismissal or stigma.
Workplace and leadership discussions focused on structural barriers that contribute to burnout and role withdrawal among women. Masaba Gupta, Founder of House of Masaba and actress, reflected on the cultural pressure to excel simultaneously across multiple roles, advocating a paced and sustainable approach to ambition.
Harbeen Arora, Founder of G100 and SHEconomy, emphasised that women’s mental health must be elevated to a global policy priority and meaningfully integrated into economic and leadership frameworks. During the discussion, Anju Bobby George, Olympian, World Championship Medalist & Pioneer of Indian Athletics, spoke candidly about the resistance and criticism she faced throughout her journey—from societal objections to her pursuing sports to scrutiny over her appearance as a professional athlete—stating that she allowed her achievements to answer every doubt. Saloni Suri, Executive Neuro Coach, Speaker, Trainer and Author highlighted the importance of creating enabling ecosystems that allow women to thrive without compromising their ambitions, while Meghna Singhal Founder & CEO, Raising Family Academy & Partners to Parents underscored the role of mentorship and institutional support in shaping women’s leadership journeys, and Sobha Ratna, Chief Human Resources Officer at Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Ltd (ABFRL) reflected on the need for collective responsibility in fostering inclusive growth and equal opportunity. Together, the speakers presented a powerful narrative on perseverance, systemic reform, and the shared commitment required to advance women’s leadership and well-being.
The summit also addressed inclusion and social identity. Akkai Padmashali, social activist, spoke about the mental health consequences of stigma and social exclusion faced by transgender women, urging recognition rooted in dignity and equal rights
Across sessions, a unifying message emerged: women’s mental health is shaped not merely by individual vulnerability, but by social structures, caregiving norms, economic realities and the accessibility of support systems. Meaningful progress, therefore, demands early intervention, integrated policy frameworks and sustained community engagement rather than isolated initiatives.
The Mpowering Minds 2026 Summit concluded with a clear direction — to move beyond dialogue toward institutional reform, embed mental health within existing public and private systems, and ensure that support reaches women at every stage of life. The fact that with greater participation of women in the economy, it is imperative to simultaneously strengthen mental health frameworks was strongly underscored, recognising that economic advancement cannot be sustained without emotional resilience, psychological safety, and access to structured support systems. Speakers collectively emphasised that as women assume expanded roles in leadership, entrepreneurship, and the workforce, policies and institutions must evolve in tandem to address their unique mental health needs — making well-being not an afterthought, but a foundational pillar of inclusive growth and national development.
Strengthening women’s mental health, the summit underscored, is not a peripheral concern but a national imperative — foundational to resilient families, productive workplaces, cohesive communities, and the country’s long-term social and economic development.
About Mpower
Mpower, an initiative of the Aditya Birla Education Trust, is a pioneering social enterprise dedicated to transforming India’s approach to mental health. Founded over a decade ago, Mpower has emerged as a leading force in spreading awareness, reducing stigma, and delivering holistic mental health care.
With a robust team of more than 200 trained professionals, Mpower impacts over 121 million lives across seven cities, including Mumbai, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Delhi, Kota, and Pune.
Mpower operates through five key verticals—Movement, Clinical Care, Outreach, Academia, and Mpower 1 on 1—offering a comprehensive range of services:
- Movement: Focuses on changing cultural perceptions and reducing the stigma associated with mental health.
- Clinical Care: Provides world-class mental health services through the Centre, the Foundation, and the Cell, addressing diverse needs ranging from holistic care to affordable support for underprivileged communities.
- Outreach: Drives awareness and capacity-building through IGNITE programs for schools, colleges, NGOs, and corporates.
- Academia: Equips individuals and professionals with the skills to handle mental health crises and foster empathy.
- Mpower 1 on 1 (Helpline): Offers 24/7 multilingual support for individuals seeking immediate mental health assistance.
In addition, special initiatives such as Samvedana strengthen mental health services in primary health centers. Through its integrated approach and collaborations with government agencies, Mpower remains committed to building a supportive, inclusive, and stigma-free mental health ecosystem in India.
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