Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone has been appointed as the first-ever mental health ambassador by the Union ministry of health & family welfare.
The announcement was made on Friday to mark World Mental Health Day.
In a statement, the health ministry said the collaboration aims to raise “awareness about access to mental health services”. “Her involvement as a national advocate will help focus attention on mental health and encourage people to seek timely support through government-approved mental health resources”.
Union health minister J.P. Nadda said the partnership with Padukone will “help widely disseminate awareness about mental health issues in India, normalise discussions to reduce stigma, and highlight mental health as an integral aspect of public health”.
Expressing gratitude, Padukone said, “I am deeply honoured to be appointed as the Union ministry of health & family welfare’s first-ever mental health ambassador. Led by our honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi, our nation has taken meaningful steps to place mental health at the heart of public health”.
“Through my own journey and work we’ve done at The Live Love Laugh (LLL) Foundation over the past decade, I’ve seen how much is possible when we come together to build a mentally healthy India,” the Bollywood actress added.
In her new role, Padukone will work with the ministry to raise awareness, promote help-seeking behaviour, encourage preventive care, and expand outreach through initiatives such as Tele MANAS (Tele-Mental Health Assistance and Networking Across States) and other government-approved programmes.
She will also collaborate on strategic interventions to ensure equitable access to mental health care across India.