From Leaders’ Desk on World Mental Health Day
"CSR Times – From the Leaders’ Desk brings together a compelling collection of voices, insights, and perspectives from leaders driving change. Marking World Mental Health Day, this edition amplifies conversations around mental well-being, breaking stigma, building supportive workplaces and communities, and recognising the importance of creating environments where everyone feels heard, valued, and supported.”
Ms. Srishti Pragat
Founder and Chairperson, Sky Social
"Mental health is fundamental to building healthy, inclusive and resilient communities. At Drishti Foundation Trust, we believe emotional well-being must be integrated into social development, education, workplace practices and community engagement. Through awareness programmes, community outreach, counselling linkages and capacity-building initiatives, we strive to encourage open conversations and reduce stigma around mental health. Governments, corporates, institutions and civil society must work together to strengthen accessible support systems, promote psychologically safe environments and ensure that seeking help is treated with dignity, empathy and understanding. Mental well-being is a shared social responsibility.”
Mr. Dinesh Kumar Gautam
Managing Trustee, Drishti Foundation Trust
"Healthy communities begin with people who feel seen, heard, supported and cared for. At Swasti, we believe emotional well-being is not separate from health—it is part of everyday life, work and relationships. Through our comprehensive primary healthcare programmes, including Invest for Wellness (i4We), Health@Work, Call4Svasth and the CPHC Alliance, we bring care closer to where people live and work, building trusted relationships that make it easier to seek support early and without stigma. Community wellness facilitators, frontline teams and telecare extend this human connection beyond formal health facilities. We believe lasting change comes when governments, businesses and communities share ownership, making care continuous, compassionate and accessible to all.”
Mr. Shankar AG
Director, Programs, Swasti
"Most people don't struggle because help doesn't exist. They struggle because asking for help still feels risky. As leaders, our job is to change that, and it starts with culture. At InsuranceDekho, one of our core pillars is Inclusion, where different thoughts, mindsets and situations are respected, including the difficult days. That belief shapes how we support our people. As an example, our sabbatical policy lets employees take a break when they need one, with no questions asked, and we periodically bring in psychologists to speak with our teams. Workplaces can't solve this alone, but they can set the tone for the communities around them."
Ms. Divya Mohan
Chief Human Resources Officer, InsuranceDekho
"Behind every thriving organization and community are people who feel heard, supported, and valued. At Indium, we believe mental well-being is a leadership responsibility. Through leadership coaching, manager enablement, learning interventions, and continuous listening platforms, we are committed to fostering a culture built on trust, empathy, and psychological safety. This people-first approach, reflected in our Great Place to Work recognition, extends beyond the workplace through our CSR initiatives across education, healthcare, environmental stewardship, and community welfare. We also recognize that mental well-being cannot be addressed by any one institution alone. Lasting progress requires employers, healthcare providers, policymakers, educators, and communities to come together to create a more compassionate, inclusive, and resilient society."
Mr. Mahendran Dilli
Executive Vice President – People & Talent, Indium
“Mental well-being must be a shared organizational responsibility, not something employees are left to manage in silence. That means building psychological safety so people can speak up, equipping managers to notice signs of strain, and making support available without stigma. At Responsive, we see empathy, flexibility and regular human connection as the foundation of that environment. But lasting progress requires employers, healthcare providers, communities and policymakers to work together, so support is preventive, inclusive and within reach well before anyone reaches a crisis.”
Ms. Shipra Kamra
Vice President, People Operations, Responsive
“Lived experiences must not simply be heard; they must drive real change. For persons with deafblindness, mental wellbeing is deeply connected to communication, relationships and inclusion. Through our programmes in education, early intervention, livelihoods, family support and community inclusion, Sense International India works to reduce isolation and create opportunities for greater independence and participation. Our CSR partnerships help strengthen these efforts by enabling accessible environments, skills and support systems. This World Mental Health Day, we must listen beyond spoken words and act on what people tell us through their lived experiences. Real change begins when every person can communicate, be understood, participate and belong.”
Mr. Uttam Kumar
CEO, Sense International India
"Mental well-being begins early, as children with developmental differences build the ability to communicate, participate, learn, and feel they belong. Support in these early years shapes how far those abilities grow, and gaps or delays in that support carry a cost well into the years that follow. At CognitiveBotics, we see continuity as the bridge between therapy, home and school, with therapist-guided, AI-powered learning plans carrying a child's progress into daily routines. Families, schools, institutions and government can act together to keep this support consistent and accessible for every child."
Mr. Hunny Agarwal
Chief Business Officer, CognitiveBotics
“Theme- World Mental Health Day- "Mental health and emotional well-being are central to building healthier and more resilient workplaces and communities. At Excelsoft, we support this through our Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), access to counselling, and well-being initiatives that cover emotional, physical and financial health. We also believe reducing stigma is as important as providing access to support. Beyond the workplace, stronger mental health systems need collaboration between businesses, governments, educational institutions and communities so that support is easier to access, conversations are more open, and people feel comfortable seeking help early.”
Ms. Shruthi Sudhanva
Chief People Officer, Excelsoft Technologies
"At Girnar Foundation, we believe that mental health is an integral part of overall well-being and that creating supportive environments can play an important role in building healthier, more resilient communities. Our health camps, yoga and fitness sessions, nutrition awareness initiatives, sports and team-building activities, women’s health programmes and career counselling efforts contribute to physical, emotional and social well-being. Through our work with Udayan Care and Pragyan Niketan, we also focus on building confidence, positive well-being and a growth mindset among young people. Addressing mental health at scale will require collective action to make conversations more open, reduce stigma and ensure people have access to the support they need."
Ms. Pihu Jain
Head - Girnar Foundation
"A child who is anxious, unheard, or unsafe cannot learn well, however good the classroom is. At Kotak Education Foundation, where we educate and empower children and youth from underserved communities, we see mental well-being as an integral part of quality education, not something separate from it. For example: Our learner-centred school education programs are aimed at building exemplary learning environments that nurture students’ curiosity, critical thinking, adaptability and 21st-century skills, cultivating agile, future-ready learners. Our scholarship programs embed strong mentorship wherein trained, expert KEF mentors regularly counsel scholarship students from marginalised backgrounds, to build their socioemotional skills and mental strength so they can face real-world challenges with confidence and resilience. This World Mental Health Day, let's commit to raising children who are not just academically capable, but mentally and emotionally strong."
Dr. Ganesh Raja
CEO, Kotak Education Foundation
"Mental health is fundamental to building resilient and inclusive communities, particularly for children facing social and economic challenges. At Smile Foundation, our education programme integrates emotional well-being and psychosocial awareness into education. Further, our social-emotional learning initiative, helps children identify and express emotions, build empathy, communicate respectfully, resolve conflicts and develop resilience. We also work to strengthen capacities of teachers to create safe, child-friendly learning environments where children feel comfortable and supported. By embedding mental well-being into everyday education, we can make early support more accessible and create space where seeking help is encouraged and stigma has no place."
Ms. Seema Kumar
Director Programme, Smile Foundation
"Mental health at work is about creating an environment where people feel supported, heard and comfortable speaking up. We believe this needs to be part of our everyday culture, not just an occasional initiative. Through platforms such as mConnect, we provide employees with an informal space to connect with managers, while HRBP Connect offers a dedicated avenue to discuss concerns and seek support. Through our partnership with Nova Benefits, we also provide employees access to 24x7 psychiatrist consultations at no additional cost. Together, these initiatives and regular team engagements help us foster a culture of openness and dialogue, where conversations around mental well-being are accessible, encouraged and free from stigma."
Ms. Rajani Jalan
Chief Mentor - CSR & People Relations, mPokket
"Governments, businesses, institutions and communities must reduce stigma and strengthen support ecosystems for NGOs. At Meher Roshani Foundation, we advance UN SDGs 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 11, 16 and 17 through CSR partnerships. On World Mental Health Day, we reaffirm that wellbeing means dignity, inclusion and opportunity. SaathSHALA supports underprivileged children through education, values and confidence-building; MeheRumi creates livelihoods through products; and Kitchen with A Cause serves communities while providing women stability through catering. We support wellbeing through workshops and counselling, while promoting inclusion by employing two young women with abilities. Let us move from awareness to action."
Ms. Roshani Shenaaz
Founder, WHOLEistc Wellbeing Pvt. Ltd.
“Mental health is the foundation of resilient people and stronger communities. At Hettich India, we want every employee to feel heard, supported, included and secure. Regular pulse surveys help us listen, while 24*7 online doctor and comprehensive medical insurance, extending to parents, ensure access to care. We create opportunities for persons with disabilities, and initiatives like 'My Daughter My Pride' and our Employee Children Scholarship support families beyond the workplace. Reducing stigma needs collective effort: when governments, businesses and communities treat mental health as seriously as physical health, compassion becomes the norm.”
Mr. Amit Prasad
Chief People and Strategy Officer - Hettich India, SAARC, Middle East & Africa
“The state of our mental wellbeing should not be a topic discussed when there is a problem but should become an essential part of the development process within the company and the community. At Fixderma, employees across levels, from junior to senior, have access to me and my number. Anyone can walk in and discuss anything with me, whether it is work-related or about their mental health.I believe that having such conversations and destigmatising mental health discussions is in the interest of every business. When people feel safe and heard, they are able to thrive and create a stronger community around themselves. ”
Ms. Shaily Mehrotra
CEO and Co-Founder, Fixderma Pvt.Ltd
“At Lenovo, we believe mental health and emotional well-being are foundational to a healthy, inclusive and high-performing workplace. Our approach combines awareness, prevention and support through initiatives such as confidential Employee Assistance Programs, onsite psychologist support, mindfulness and well-being sessions, brain-health awareness programs, and inclusive health benefits that help employees access the care they need. We also actively involve employees through our Wellness Employee Resource Group, empowering them to co-create and champion well-being initiatives, foster peer connection and encourage more open conversations around mental health. We have learned that meaningful impact comes when organizations normalize conversations around mental health and create psychologically safe environments. As leaders, we have a responsibility to reduce stigma, strengthen support systems, and ensure every individual feels valued, supported and empowered to thrive.”
Ms. Priya Tikare
HR Director, Lenovo India
"Mental health is fundamental to human dignity,well-being and the resilience of communities. At Ambuja Foundation, we havewitnessed the transformative impact of bringing mental health awareness andfirst-line support closer to communities. Through our community-based mentalhealth initiatives reaching over 2,100 villages across six states, localvolunteers are equipped to recognise signs of distress, offer empatheticsupport and facilitate timely access to professional care. While communityinterventions cannot replace trained mental health practitioners, they play acrucial role in bridging the gap between vulnerable individuals and the supportsystems they need. Building a mentally healthier society requires a collectivecommitment from governments, businesses, civil society and communities. We mustcontinue to reduce stigma, strengthen referral mechanisms, invest in accessiblecommunity-based support and amplify the voices of those with lived experience."
Dr. Vinayak Sonawane
Assistant General Manager - Health, Ambuja Foundation
“Workplaces have a unique opportunity to make conversations about mental health feel less daunting and more natural. At Blue Dart, we believe that supporting our people goes beyond providing access to counselling and employee assistance programs. It is about creating an environment where employees feel heard, understood, and comfortable seeking help when they need it. We are committed to fostering open conversations around well-being and encouraging a culture of empathy and care. At the same time, we recognize that mental health is a shared responsibility. Organizations, families, communities, and individuals all have a role to play in breaking down stigma and making it easier for people to reach out for support without hesitation.”
Mr. Beena Jacob
Chief Human Resource Officer at Blue Dart