- Mpower founder urges awareness on women and youth mental health
- YFLO highlights empathy and inclusivity in emotional well-being
The Young FICCI Ladies Organisation (YFLO), a division of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), hosted an impactful session titled Invisible Selves – Insights into Mental Health at ITC Kakatiya, Begumpet, on Tuesday. The discussion brought together Mrs Neerja Birla, Founder and Chairperson of the Aditya Birla Education Trust and Mpower, in conversation with award-winning journalist Ms Shoma Choudhury, founder of Lucid Lines.
Opening the session, YFLO Chairperson Ms Pallavi Jain underlined the importance of mental health advocacy, stating, “Mental health is not a luxury anymore – it’s a necessity.” She highlighted the achievements of Mpower, which has sensitised over six lakh educators on mental well-being. The session explored the scope of India’s mental health crisis and the need for systemic change to address its social and emotional dimensions.
Reflecting on her personal journey, Mrs Birla shared how her daughter’s struggles with mental illness inspired her mission to champion the cause of the 200 million Indians affected by such conditions. Citing that one in four teenagers in India face mental health challenges and that 16% of Indians overall are affected, she emphasised that “illness doesn’t discriminate.” She also spoke about her own battle with post-partum depression, underscoring how personal experiences often serve as catalysts for social change.
During the dialogue, Mrs Birla urged parents to stay “emotionally present and connected” to their children to identify early signs of distress stemming from bullying or digital abuse. She emphasised the importance of making the “invisible illness” visible by building greater awareness and healthcare infrastructure, particularly for women managing emotional and hormonal transitions.
Speaking about Mpower’s recent work, she said, “At Mpower, we have seen a marked rise in women from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana seeking mental health support through our helpline, reflecting growing awareness and self-prioritisation.” She added that in collaboration with FICCI FLO Hyderabad, Mpower’s focus now extends to supporting women through perimenopause and menopause—phases that deeply influence emotional health but remain underdiscussed.
The event concluded with an engaging Q&A on women’s hormonal and emotional health, children’s mental well-being, and the psychological burden of guilt many women carry. Mrs Birla closed the evening by reaffirming her vision of “creating an environment and ecosystem of care and empathy.” The session ended with a vote of thanks by Ms Rupal Bansal, marking another milestone in YFLO’s commitment to mental health advocacy.
Now you can get the latest stories from Indtoday on Telegram every day. Click the link to subscribe. Click to follow Indtoday’s Facebook page, Twitter, and Instagram. For all the latest Hyderabad News updates
