Mumbai Youth Rally for Healing as Mpower Reports Surge in Mental Health Concerns

This World Mental Health Day, Marine Drive witnessed a powerful moment of collective healing as over 100 young adults gathered for Mpower’s symbolic ‘Art of Letting Go’ balloon ceremony — releasing handwritten worries into the sky as an act of emotional release. Organised by Mpower, an initiative of the Aditya Birla Education Trust led by Mrs Neerja Birla, the activity marked more than just a visual gesture; it underscored an urgent reality. India’s youth are struggling — and they are finally beginning to speak up.

Between 2022 and 2025, Mpower reached over 5.27 lakh young adults across India, with Mumbai emerging as the second-highest city seeking mental health support after Pune. Of the 1.65 lakh youth engaged in Mumbai, 69,084 were young women and 53,657 young men, signalling a growing readiness among young women to seek professional help, while highlighting the need to bring more young men into the conversation.

The most common concerns flagged through Mpower’s data were personality disorders, mood disorders, anxiety, learning disabilities and a rising trend of adult ADHD — reflecting both heightened self-awareness and a widening gap in accessible care. With suicide remaining the leading cause of death among young Indians and NCRB data showing a 65% rise between 2013 and 2023, the need for early intervention has never been more critical.

Mrs Neerja Birla, Founder & Chairperson of Mpower, emphasises the urgency of collective responsibility, saying: “India’s youth hold immense potential, yet many struggle in silence and addressing this is a collective responsibility of us as a society. Our vision of Swasth Yuva Bharat is to nurture a generation that is resilient, mentally strong and emotionally balanced, achieved through early interventions in schools, empowering educators and strengthening peer networks and counselling support. This World Mental Health Day, it is time to move from awareness to action and make seeking help normalised.”

Mpower’s impact is now extending beyond campuses into workplaces through its Corporate Mental Health Pledge, which has brought over 75 organisations together to prioritise employee well-being. Initiatives like the Human Library further encourage young adults to share real stories of anxiety, bullying and resilience, fostering empathy while dismantling stigma.

For those in immediate need, Mpower’s 24×7 toll-free mental health helpline (1800-120-820050) stands as a lifeline — a reminder that no one needs to struggle alone.

As the balloons rose over the Arabian Sea, one message was clear: India’s youth are ready to heal — they just need the world to rise with them.